When Love and Hate Collide: SIDE STORIES
by RZZMG
Summary: Companion to "When Love and Hate Collide" fanfic -- read that story first as these stories are spoilers for that series. Three chapters only-Teddy x Tanith, Scorpius x Lily, Etoile x Hajime. These close out this series once and for all. Hot shagging!
1. Chapter 1: Destiny's Dawning

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

**SUMMARY: Side stories to "When Love and Hate Collide" fanfic. Read that story first to completion before reading these as they contain spoilers for the series.**

**PART ONE – On the night of Hermione & Draco Malfoy's wedding, they receive an unexpected guest - one of the Aes Sidhe Queens has crossed the Void with good wishes for the newly married couple. But that's not all she's come for… as Theodore (Teddy) Nott is about to find out! Destiny always rewards those who are selfless and devoted, right? What happens when love and loneliness collide?**

**Rating: M+ (consensual graphic sex).**

AUTHOR'S SPECIAL NOTE: These side stories (all tasked to be under 20,000 words each chapter - there will be three in total) will be the last of this series I produce. "When Love and Hate Collide" officially ends with SIDE STORIES Chapter 3. Saying that, I want to dedicate these Side Stories to YOU, dear readers, for sticking with the fic to the bloody, LONG end... and for allowing me the privilege of having won your favor and taken first place in the 2009 Dramione Awards for "When Love and Hate Collide" under four categories (Best Novel-Length Story, Best Heart-Wrenching/Angst Story, Best Smut, and Best Hermione). Again, I think you for your faith and for your kind reviews and PMs... and for giving this, my first fanfic ever, a chance! :)

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**WHEN LOVE AND H****ATE COLLIDE: SIDE STORIES**

**By: RZZMG**

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_**CHAPTER ONE: DESTINY'S DAWNING (Teddy & Tanith's Story)**_

_**Malfoy Manor, Witshire, England**_

_**December 22nd, 2001 **_

Teddy's hot grip on Tanith's cool hand was a little rougher than he wanted it to be as he rushed them out of the library, up the grand staircase, and into the East Wing of the Malfoy Manor without a word. There was no conscious thought to where he was going; he simply allowed his feet to instinctively lead him on to their destination, guided by the golden, lustful greed that pounded through him in increasing waves with each step.

He needed her. He needed to be inside her. Now, now, _now_. Nothing else mattered.

His room. That's where they were going… and the Four Founders help anyone who got in the way.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Tanith was terrified, overwhelmed by the waves of emotion pouring off of Theodore. His magical aura ran hot and cold in shimmering surges, crimson colored one moment, then severian black the next. She felt it prickle against her overly sensitive skin, channeling through where they were physically connected at the hands. It was decidedly an uncomfortable sensation, but at the same time hotly enticing.

Having no illusions, Tanith knew Theodore's reaction was caused by her Aes Sidhe heritage; her people were blatantly sexual creatures, after all, and their magic called to Humans naturally. But this… whatever she was feeling for the wizard, the youngest Fae Queen knew went beyond such a shallow connection. This was powerful and uncontrollable. Simply put, she couldn't shut it off.

She'd known years ago when he and she had met originally, back when he'd been a young man of barely seventeen, that there was something special between them. That feeling had never dimmed, despite the distance and years. But what was happening now was something more mystical and unexplainable. It felt as if she were being manipulated by Fate itself into throwing off such a strong attractant. Perhaps her mother or her cousin, Tsillah, would have understood, being the eldest daughters of their race. Perhaps they could have told her how to seal away the queer magic pouring from her fingertips, eyelashes and toes. But both females were back in their homeland, across the Null, unreachable for hours yet. Tanith was on her own for now, walking this difficult, frightening path alone.

Pulling against Theodore, wanting to slow him down and calm the situation, she yelped instead when he responded to her unspoken request by yanking on her arm even harder, almost pulling her shoulder from its socket, forcing her to keep up with his longer, faster stride. There would be no stopping, it seemed, before they reached their destination.

Where were they going and what would happen once they got there?

Tanith was in a right panic by the time she figured it out, less than a minute later.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

When he arrived at the bedroom that had been reserved for him during Draco and Hermione's wedding, Teddy thrust open the door, pulled the Fae Queen in behind him, then closed and locked it with a loud bang and a clack. He waved his wand over the entry to prevent eavesdropping of any sort, and then pointed at the marble fireplace, setting magical flames to heating up the room and to provide light. Finally, he dragged Tanith over to the settee in front of the fire and sat them both down, leaving a good meter between them for safety's sake.

With a shudder, he let the woman's hand go and dropped his head into the cradle of his palms, covering up his eyes. "Stop whatever it is you're doing to me," he hissed between clenched teeth, struggling to control his thrumming, overly-amped body. He knew, without a doubt, that he was being charmed magically by the Aes Sidhe sitting next to him. Her kin were bloody famous for evoking powerful lust in men when they wished; they _were_ cousins to the Veela, after all, according to his own research on the species. And now it seemed that this particular Fairy, seated close by on the couch, was exerting the same influence on him. She had been since she first appeared at the wedding reception's entry, but it was only on the flight up to his room that he realized it and felt the first stirrings of fear and anger in his guts.

"I am doing nothing consciously," the beautiful creature replied, her honeyed voice tainted by an edge of nervousness.

Teddy took a deep, shaky breath, trying to keep both his ire and his sexual hunger in check. "Yes, you are and you know it," he growled, still not looking at her. "I can feel your spell pulling at me."

Logically, rationally, Teddy _knew_ that he should run away from Tanith as fast as his long legs could carry him. This compelling desire he felt for her was unnatural, and would only mean trouble for him in the long run. And yet, he was both physically and emotionally powerless against the Fae's draw on his body and mind. All he wanted to do was throw the gorgeous blonde down on the bed nearby and shag her until he expired in her arms, thoroughly sated.

The visual that conjured caused an electric jolt through his system, starting at his pelvis, moving up his spine, and spiking into the back of his head. He groaned as the blood pooled between his legs, making his already sprung erection ache with the need for immediate fulfillment. He hunched over even tighter, trying to maintain control.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Tanith said nothing for several seconds. Her anxiety was a pulsing, living thing in her mouth, adding only to her own arousal. "It is not intentional, I promise. I do not mean to cause you pain. I cannot help how I feel about you," she admitted, her blood thrumming through her veins, her heart calling out to the handsome, powerful wizard, begging for a response.

Theodore looked over at her, confused. "How you _feel _about me?" He laughed bitterly, the sound causing a physical ache to bloom in her chest. "Lady, we just met. You don't even _know_ me."

Attention riveted to the fire quickly, Tanith avoided his gaze. The pit of her belly fluttered with beating Pixie wings.

She needed to tell him the truth. This may be her only chance to do so until the next summer solstice, and what could happen between now and then... So far, Tanith knew she'd been incredibly lucky. With Theodore's romantic affections firmly fixed on Draco Malfoy, there hadn't been a chance for a human female to capture his attention too seriously over the years. He'd had a few lovers, she knew, but they had meant nothing to him. Now that the little father was wedded to his one true love, however, Theodore's attention would be freed up, and there existed the very real possibility of a Human female interfering with her plans if she didn't act now.

She'd waited so many years… It was finally time to speak her heart.

"But I do know you, Theodore Nott," she confessed in a gentle, purposefully nonthreatening voice. "I know you well, even though you do not remember me at all. Since we chanced to meet all those years ago, I have considered you every day hence. I have been… unable to stop thinking of you, in sooth."

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

The Fae Queen wrapped those pale, lovely arms protectively around her petite frame and stared into the flames of the hearth, a look of consternation flashing across her beautiful features. Her pale grey eyes were tinted bronze in the dim, yellow-orange light.

"Tell me what happened that night," Teddy demanded firmly, frustrated. "I don't remember it at all."

Tanith acceded to his request easily enough, launching into the tale of that fateful Christmas Eve back in 1996, when the Aes Sidhe High Queen, Temair, and her daughter had walked across the darkness of the Null with the help of the Fae Queen of Void, Tsillah, to appear at the appointed place for the transfer of their King from womb to womb. "I aided the little mother by taking her pain for her, but collapsed during the ceremony," the Fairy admitted, a pretty, peachy blush suffusing her alabaster cheeks. "You… caught me, Theodore Nott. You held me up, and that assistance allowed me to continue rendering aid to Hermione Granger."

She swallowed, and Teddy watched her long, white throat rise and fall with the movement, and his lust returned full force. He sat on his hands to force himself into stillness, waiting for her to finish.

"After that, I returned to my domain with my mother," she continued. "Yet, I have watched you in secret ever since with my magic." Her cheeks lit up a bright crimson now. "At first, I was simply curious of you. I had never been touched by a male before, and the sensation of your arms around me was… _exhilarating_."

Teddy stifled a moan behind pursed lips, his body twitching as he spied Tanith's small, pink tongue swipe across her bottom lip as she paused slightly in her narrative. "But over time," she quickly resumed, oblivious to his distress, "I could not help how my feelings for you changed from fascination into… more." She looked at him fully then, her eyes expressively honest. "For five of your years I have walked your dreams in your sleep. I know your sins and your struggles, I have seen the marks of suffering on your body, I have ached for your unrequited longings, and I cannot help my heart for wanting you now. You are a good man, Theodore Nott, and I am trapped by these feelings I have for you."

At her words, a smothering wave of blistering desire overrode Teddy's senses again and he dug his nails into palms and applied solid mental restraint trying to fend it off. His cock was rock hard and throbbing in his dark charcoal, woolen slacks. He was panting from the effort of pushing his feelings down.

Seeing his struggle, Tanith lowered her eyes demurely. "I believe that may be why I cannot control my instinctive… talents… around you," she concluded.

"You mean the lust thing," he growled, standing and pacing to work off the energy that pulsed through him. She nodded silently, looking away into the flames again. As she nervously brushed her elegant, pale hands across her lap, Teddy imagined those same fingers stroking his shaft…

_Oh, for Slytherin's sake, use your higher brain, Nott!,_ he shouted himself down in his own head.

This was wrong. It was _so_ wrong to want her for _so_ many reasons, the most important being that now he knew the incredible attraction he felt for was not wholly natural. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Why did you come here now? Why not years ago?"

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

The Sidhe sighed resignedly. They had come to it at last – a most difficult quandary.

High Queen Temair's edict was clear: no Sidhe was to talk about their magical abilities (or lack thereof) with Humans. But even before she'd come here, Tanith had unconsciously decided to rebelliously ignore that command if Theodore required explanations from her. Now she made the mindful choice, knowing her mother would be furious with her. But Tanith would gladly meet any punishment in exchange for sharing the truth with the man she had fallen in love with. It was very important to her that Theodore understand that she hadn't been playing games with him. She knew him well enough to know he would shut her out completely if he believed for an instant that she'd lazily tarried for years on delivering her news of the child King's return to his best friends.

"It is very difficult for my kind to pass over into your world now that we have quit it permanently," she explained from the script she'd prepared in advance of this moment. "It requires great magical energies normally to achieve a rift. But during the winter and summer solstice, the barrier between our planes of existence weakens to a small extent and the requisite energies are much less. The effect lasts for a few days only. Unfortunately, I cannot open a portal. That power abides alone with my cousin, Tsillah. Fortunately, I was able to take advantage of the current solstice to come to speak with the little mother and father about their son with her help," she replied matter-of-factly. "They reaffirmed their vows today, and I felt it was appropriate to give them a fitting gift in the form of good tidings and blessings."

"_You_ felt it appropriate?" Theodore asked, catching onto the hesitation in her voice over that turn of phrase. He looked at her pointedly, warily. "Your mother doesn't know you're here, does she?"

Tanith looked down at her hands, which she now had clasped in her lap. "No, she does not. Only Tsillah knows, as she opened the Null for me to cross over."

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

_Fuck a royal duck,_ Teddy thought, seriously concerned. Aes Sidhe didn't do anything for free – of that much he was certain. The last thing D and Hermione or he needed right then was to have to pay a debt for this little indiscreet holiday that Tanith had arranged. Lord knew what her cousin Queen would demand as payment for opening the Null.

He shoved his hands in his pants pockets to keep them occupied so he wouldn't do something rash – like break something in his heightened state of irritation. "What did you trade Tsillah to get her help?" he rumbled.

The Fae was silent for a few moments, clearly contemplating how much he needed to know versus what she was willing to tell. Teddy had seen that look before in more than one Auror interrogation room in his time. He waited her out, trying to keep his hands from twitching by balling them into fists; he wanted so badly to stroke himself through the fabric of his pants right then to ease some of his suffering.

"Tsillah has not set any price upon me," Tanith finally admitted, a troubled wrinkle touching her forehead. "Perhaps she acted out of benevolence."

Teddy snorted. "Yeah, and London Bridge is for sale if you're interested." The sarcasm dripped menacingly between them, but Teddy couldn't seem to help his antagonism. He was being manipulated – whether purposefully or accidentally – and he didn't care for the feeling one bit. His defenses were up.

"I do not pretend I understand the mysteries and knowledge of the Mistress of the Void well enough to divine her thoughts on the matter," his guest fretted. "If my cousin wishes to extract a favor from me later, I will be obliged to pay it." She looked up at him once more, her eyes softening. "But I will do so gladly. I do not regret coming here tonight."

Teddy turned aside, tapping the toe of his polished, black dress shoe against the marble of the fireplace's lip to keep from launching across the room to her side. "Let me get this straight: you put yourself under an unknown Sidhe obligation all just to see my friends and give them a wedding present?" he asked with skeptical annoyance. "Are you a lunatic, lady? What if this Tsillah wants your first born or something - like Rumpelstiltskin."

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Tanith was confused by the inappropriate comparison. She shook her head firmly. "That creature was of the dark _Leipreachán_, not of the Fae," she corrected him, a teensy bit miffed at having any of her family weighed in as members of the evil Shadow Folk. However, to be fair, she knew that it wasn't common knowledge that Rumpelstiltskin was actually real, having been relegated to the realm of mythology and fantasy in Human writings. It was probably the only fable Theodore knew that was even remotely comparable to his example. He couldn't help it if he was woefully uneducated in magical Beings lore (something she was determined at a later point to remedy). For that reason, she was quick to forgive his blunder.

She peeked up at him then through her long, golden fringed eyelashes. "And I am not afraid of the repercussions of my choice," she admitted daringly. "As I told you earlier, I did not _only_ come to visit with the little mother and father, Theodore Nott. I came also because I wanted to look upon you once more in person; to speak with you at last. I needed to be at your side once more."

There, that was as plain and honest as she could tell her truth. Now she would have to see whether this guarded, lonely wizard was receptive to her advances.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

If Teddy thought his nerves were frayed around the edges before, after the innocently smoldering glance the blonde had just thrown his way, he felt perfectly burned to the core now. He was already caught in the teeth of an animalistic, carnal hunger for this female – more than he had ever felt for any person _ever_ – but coupled with her words… Teddy was suddenly all twisted up inside; brain and blood crazed, for sure. The feeling that he was being played in a much bigger game than he understood made him irrationally angry, too.

He did cross to her side then, kneeling at the Fairy's feet, and he grabbed her arms, shaking her once, infuriated. "What do you _want_ from me, lady?"

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

He was touching her, only it wasn't in a good way. No man had ever dared to touch her before but him, and certainly he had not done so previously in this violent manner. What should she do? Tanith's mouth dried out and her brain went blank as panic set in.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

The Fae's face went slack and she seemed utterly unable to respond to his shouted question, so in obvious shock was she by his vehemence. Her helplessness under Teddy's hands only heightened the predator instincts within. Just touching her, being this close made his mind whirl, his senses riot. Gods above, he wanted to plunge himself in between her legs, sink into her wet body, and have her beg him to take her hard…

Shutting his eyes tightly, Teddy forced himself to pull his hands off of her. As soon as he did, he could breathe again, albeit shallowly. "I'm sorry," he grated. "I didn't mean to scare or hurt you." He sat back on his heels, his hands braced on the couch on either side of Tanith's legs, his head down, panting heavily. "It's just that… I can't help… Fuck! I _want_ you." He struggled to reign in his libido again. The effort was tremendous and painful. He shook his head to try to clear it, fighting hard to maintain a semblance of his real personality. "Look, just stop throwing around the magic so we can talk, okay?"

"I promise you that I _cannot_ control this effect, Theodore," his beauty protested, and Teddy looked up to berate her for using his full given name – a name he hated, because his bastard father had given it to him, and absolutely _no one_ called him by that name if he could help it - but she interrupted before he could open his mouth. "I do not know why my gifts are materializing now," she protested innocently. "This has never happened to me before." She bit her bottom lip in dismay. "I am frightened by it."

Seeing her sharp, little teeth worry her mouth… Teddy _wanted_ to taste her. He absolutely _had_ to. This need looped over and over in his head and was single-mindedly all consuming. As if compelled by the Imperius Curse, he sat up onto his knees quickly and leaned his face towards hers, his breathing suddenly sharp in his chest, his heart beat speeding up exponentially as he drew nearer and nearer. Before he could close those last few centimeters, however, the Fae's small, white hands came up and rested upon his chest to stop him. She leaned back into the couch, her face a mask of terror.

"What are you doing?" she whispered.

Yeah, what the hell _was_ he thinking?

_Bad idea_, his weakened subconscious drilled him in a last ditch effort. _She's Sidhe! _

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Masculine, assured possessiveness seared Tanith's soul as Theodore speared her on his burning gaze.

He meant to force himself on her, didn't he?

But it wouldn't be considered unwelcome constraint if she wanted this back, she reminded herself. And, oh yes, Tanith desperately, recklessly wanted to respond to this man's need. Deep in the folds of her lower lips, she felt her body moisten with anticipation. In her chest, her heart beat fiercely.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

This wasn't just lust, he finally realized; that Teddy had experienced many times before. No this… he felt compelled by an invisible hand, of a sorts, drawn to this beautiful Fae as if to a mesmerizing flame. This drive to be with Tanith, to touch her and make her his… he absently wondered if this was the same feeling D had for Hermione. If so, he knew he was in trouble.

And yet, even understanding that much, he also knew he was going to give in. Belonging to Tanith and possessing her at the same time was an irresistible longing, and deep in the corners of his well-guarded heart, Teddy knew he was captive to Fate's whim this time, not just Aes Sidhe magic. And if there was one thing he'd learned from watching his best friends, it was that fighting destiny would be an utterly useless waste of time.

And, really, why shouldn't they get it on? What was stopping him? Clearly, the Fae Queen was interested. Why not grab a whole lot of happiness - even if just for tonight - and run with it? All he'd thought about for years was D, to the point where he'd never given himself a real chance with anyone else, not even Hermione before she and Draco had hooked up. Teddy had been alone for far too long; had denied himself for too many years the kind of sweet release this beauty was now freely offering up to him. And now... well, for once why couldn't he be selfish? He could have this, if he gave it to himself. He could have _her_. And who knew what would come of it? Maybe it would be good...

His mind irrevocably made up, Teddy gave any small, lingering doubts no further consideration, finally letting his unrequited feelings for his best friend go, and reaching for his new future with open hands and heart.

"What am I doing? Isn't it obvious? I'm going to kiss you," he explained curtly to his newly intended, pushing against her hands with his greater strength and moving his big body over hers, utterly ignoring the judicious and sensible side of his brain that was telling him to take it easy. "Hard. Right now. Because I have to taste you, or I'm going to go mad."

The Fairy's breathing had kicked up to the same tempo as his at his determined promise, and she licked her lips again, this time in heightened, nervous anticipation. Her body's sudden arousal became heady in the air; Teddy could smell her clean, musky scent through her dress and was betting that she wasn't wearing anything underneath it. His worn-down restraint broke completely then, and he surged forward, slanting his mouth over hers avariciously.

Merlin, her lips were so soft! They were the most delicate, smoothest lips he'd ever kissed. He urged them to part for him, but Tanith stubbornly kept her mouth as tightly closed as her eyes. _Open for me,_ he willed more aggressively than he'd believed himself capable with a woman and poured on the persuasion with a tiny nip here, a pull of lips there, his tongue languidly sliding out to lick and tease. When her jaw relaxed and he finally pushed through the tiny gap of her mouth, he boldly slid his tongue against hers, sweeping in and tasting her for the first time.

Gods almighty, she was sweet… flavored like strawberry wine.

He groaned, and his hands moved to her thighs, tracing upwards over her hips to rest on her narrow waist. The crushed velvety material of her red dress was the finest fabric he'd ever touched and it only inflamed his tactile senses more as his fingers slid up and down its length. When his hands moved to boldly cup her breasts over her dress, Tanith gasped against his mouth. Her nipples responded instantly to his caresses, hardening through the thin material under his fingertips. He groaned and began circling them with his thumbs, rubbing her dress against her even as his tongue dipped into her mouth repeatedly, claiming her, branding them both.

Slytherin preserve him, she wasn't wearing a bra or corset.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Tanith couldn't breathe, couldn't think. All she could do was feel, as she was swept away by the magnitude of sensations that Theodore's touch evoked. Who knew that kissing and touching could be so pleasurable? No wonder her people were so enamored with the physical aspect of relations with Humans! That she was being handled by _him_ in this manner – the man she'd watched in secret and loved from afar for so long - made the experience all the richer.

Even if it was only for these few hours, she wanted to know how it felt to be loved by him back.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

As if that first touch of their mouths turned down the boiling heat pounding through his veins, the animal drive to mate was unexpectedly lulled into a mellower, more controlled need that simmered nicely within his pelvis. Teddy was still very much compelled to touch and taste his ravishing beauty, but his higher brain switched on momentarily to remind him not scare her too much; he wanted her willing and moaning under him, not hating him later, after all.

Reaching up, he touched her cheek tenderly, desperate to feel her skin against his, and was shocked by how its softness rivaled that of her lips. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, awed by Tanith's innocence. He stroked upward to run his fingers along her hair, wanting to know how that felt as well. So soft, like stroking cashmere. He pushed one side away from her face, tucking the white-gold strands behind her ear, and he noted that her auricular's helix was slightly pointed at its highest end. He found the odd shape of her outer ear rather charming and couldn't help his curiosity as he reached up to touch the tip.

Tanith let out a moan of unadulterated, hot-blooded desire at his light caress. Her hands grabbed onto his hair on the back of his neck and fisted it, pulling gently. Within the confines of his dress pants, Teddy's penis jumped in response and his whole body jerked forward involuntarily. He was suddenly much closer to the side of her face, and he stroked her ear again, wondering the result. The reaction repeated for both of them. "You _like_ that?" he asked softly, intentionally using his deep, low voice as a weapon, a knowing smirk winding up the side of his face.

"Yes," she breathed, her eyes still closed in obvious fear.

He hummed in appreciation. "Want me to do it again?" he whispered seductively, breathing hot air across her skin. His little Fae nodded desperately and he stroked her ear again. This time, out of the corner of his eye, he watched her mouth part wide on a gasp and then felt her hips grind against his in response. He shuddered from the exquisite friction created between them.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Dear heavenly hosts, what Theodore was doing to her felt wonderful! Liquid fire ran through her body with each stroke against the shell of her ear. Tanith had never guessed that such a place could bring her such blissful satisfaction.

"Again," she moaned, and he complied three more times, touching both ears in tandem.

With an "Oh!" of surprise, lightning shot up and down her spine to pool in between her legs, causing a rush of warm liquid to escape her core to coat her thighs, making her womb undulate at the same time, and freeing a burst of joyful gratification from her very soul. Tanith felt as if she were flying towards Elysium at a dizzying speed. Delightful ripples ran through her womb, and she squeezed her body tight about Theodore's hips, pressing her pelvis directly against his, feeling something hard and thick pressing back.

It took long seconds for the tiny sparkles of light behind her eyelids to clear and for her heart to calm again. In that time, Tanith curled herself against Theodore, resting her forehead on his shoulder, nuzzling into his throat to hide her embarrassment.

Goodness above all, she'd just experienced her first bringing!

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

"Are you okay?" Teddy asked, concerned by the sudden withdrawal that Tanith's climax had brought on. A sneaky suspicion crept into his mind as her body caught a case of the shivers, and he openly voiced his concern. "Have you ever felt that before?"

Against his neck, the Fae shook her head. "No, that was... my first time," she admitted reservedly against his neck. "It felt very, _very_ good."

Teddy couldn't help but chuckle. He had himself a pure–as-the-driven-snow, virgin Fairy. No shit. Stroking her hair, running his fingers through the fine, silken strands, he nuzzled against Tanith's fresh, clean smelling skin. "I'm glad. I'd like you to do it a few more times tonight with me, if you want."

Pulling her head away, the lovely, chaste creature looked up into Teddy's face, her nose almost touching his. Her cheeks were suffused with blood, and her bright eyes shimmered, almost glowing. "I can do this again?" She blinked, astounded… and with renewing excitement.

Teddy nodded assuredly, feeling that tug behind his navel telling him that his arousal was still very prominent and needed tending to soon. "Absolutely." He gave her a slow, devilishly wicked smirk. "And we can do it in a variety of ways, too."

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Tanith felt like a naïve youngling again. Yes, she knew the very basic facts of procreation, and she also knew what the nude body of Humans looked like from drawings (her mother had given her a scroll on the subject when she'd reached the age of adulthood, during her one hundred and eight-fifth year), but it was abundantly clear now that her education had been intentionally simplified. She assumed it was done for her benefit, so she wouldn't seek out the bed of their King until she was emotionally ready (that would definitely be something her mother would do, certainly).

But a new idea was forming in the back of Tanith's head now, and it had everything to do rejecting their King's advances when it was time, and staying here in this world at this man's side as his mate so he could fill in the knowledge gaps of her sexual understanding. And perhaps in the doing, he would come to care for her as she did for him.

That is, if he wanted her in such a way. There was only one chance to find out… Her eyes traced a path down Theodore's striking face to his luscious lips. "Will you show me these ways?" she asked hesitantly, praying he'd agree.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

With a huff of amazement, Teddy was nodding enthusiastically. "You don't have to ask twice," he growled in pleasurable possession as he took her lips again for another soul-searing kiss. Grabbing his Fairy Queen around the waist, he pulled them both back into an upright position, and came off his knees to stand, dragging her up with him. Bending his head to her ear, he flicked his tongue on the top point again, playing with her sensitive spot in a different manner this time. Tanith grabbed for him once more, her nails digging into shoulders, and she cried out without restraint. He continued to lick and suck on her ear, exploiting her weakness without apology for several minutes.

"So good," his little minx whispered against his cheek. "Don't stop."

Teddy obliged happily, feeling Tanith melt against him as he expertly coaxed her body's lusty flames until she was roaring for release. Of her own volition, his partner's left leg slowly wound its way up his right side, hooking behind his knee, sliding up until her core was pressed flush against his pelvis again. Her trembling body moved to an instinctual rhythm then – Sidhe _were_ highly sexual beings, he remembered - as she circled her lower body against his. Clearly, she was inexpert in seductive technique, but the action drove him over the edge anyway.

Moving away to pull the fabric of her clothing up, Teddy yanked the offending garment over Tanith's head and her outstretched arms, tossing it to the floor without thought. He then touched her naked waist for the first time and groaned as he looked down at her body. He'd been right; she hadn't been wearing a stitch under the dress. And she was absolutely gorgeous, with small, tight breasts, a bird-thin torso and flat stomach, and those long, white legs… A small patch of light golden blonde hair covered her mound, and Teddy's hands were drawn to touch it. As he caressed the soft curls, he felt the moisture that already dampened the locks and his eyes rolled back into his head. He swallowed painfully as he ran his hands up over her skin slowly, until he cupped her breasts, thumbing her erect, light pink nipples in circles that mimicked what her hips had done earlier.

By her own preference, Tanith removed her gold crown and tossed it away to the side. It landed on the carpeted floor with a final, heavy 'thunk.' In the back of his mind, Teddy absently though it was the sound of finality.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

She was naked in front of a Human! She was letting Theodore touch her in ways she'd never even dreamed about before. The only beings Tanith had ever let see her nude form had been her cousins during their bathing rituals. And she'd never seen two people copulate. Was this how it was done? Why hadn't her mother told her how fantastically breathtaking it was to be touched this way?

Everything ached, especially between her legs. She was deliciously moist there – which only served to increase the fervent need for satisfaction. But how? What was she supposed to do next? How could she tell her Human lover that she needed relief?

Mortified, she laid her forehead against the wizard's shoulder bashfully, panting for air.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

"Please," Tanith whimpered in desperate need, and that was all Teddy needed to hear, understanding her unspoken request. Cupping her sweet, lily-white bottom in his hands, he pulled her body up onto his, wrapping her legs around his waist, and backed them towards the king-sized bed in the room, reclaiming her lips in the process. She weighed so little that it wasn't a struggle at all to cross the distance, and to turn her so she fell back onto the center of the dark blue coverlet. Teddy tore his mouth from hers as he pushed off the bed and removed all of his clothes in a rush.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Theodore was naked… and he was stunning to behold. His body was taut with packed, tight muscle, his chest had only a sprinkling of dark hair which ran across his pecks, down the middle and terminated below his waist. His manhood was… Tanith shuddered and swallowed in part desire, part fear.

Trying to will away her terror, she took a deep breath. Nothing had prepared her adequately for this moment. She'd have to trust that Theodore knew what he was doing, because the Great Mother help her, she had no idea how to experience physical pleasure with a male.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Naked and straining, Teddy crawled back towards his Fae Queen eagerly, attacking her mouth with a passion and savagery that he'd never felt for any woman. His left hand trailed between them to touch her breasts again, and then slid down her stomach, tickling gently as it moved, to reach between her legs.

He pressed the heel of his palm against Tanith's cleft and pushed, and she groaned. "Open wider," he bid with another small push, and she complied without argument or hesitation. His middle finger dipped into her opening to check her readiness, and he found her literally soaked. She was more than ready, and his self-discipline had reached its limit.

Rubbing some of her juices up her soft, warm slit, Teddy coaxed his blonde goddess into parting further for him, and slid his hips down to align with hers as he grabbed her lips for another kiss. He rubbed his straining member against her, getting it nice and wet and then he took it in his hand and guided himself to her opening. "I _need_ to be inside you," he explained. "Is it okay?"

Closing her eyes, Tanith nodded once, and Teddy took that as full consent. He grabbed her hips and pushed forward, entering her with a low moan, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest at the same moment as he sheathed himself deep inside. Her body was smooth and tight and parted for him effortlessly, clenching around him with silken heat. There was no barrier to break, thankfully, but it was obvious from the way the muscles and flesh moved, and by her hiss of pain that no other had been inside of her before. She really had been a virgin.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

There was pain as Tanith's vestal body was stretched open. It wasn't a particularly sharp or miserable ache, so much as a dull, throbbing soreness. This wasn't so bad. In fact, it felt quite pleasant and filling.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Stilling to give Tanith time to adjust, Teddy waited, his heart pounding out a loud staccato beat in his ears. He shoved the renewed drive to take her hard to the back of his skull for her sake. "Did I hurt you?" he murmured, licking her sweet spot again, trying to give her some relief from the pain of being split open so abruptly.

"No." It was a whimpered reply that made Teddy wince with a touch of guilt and empathetic pain for this beauty in his arms. "It just… feels very tight."

_Feels so good!_, he thought, sweat beading his top lip from the effort of his restraint. "Do you want to rest here for a bit before we go further?" he considerately asked, forcing himself to remember that this was Tanith's first experience, and therefore, he needed to be patient and gentle. That meant fighting against the pull of her magic and of his body's demands, both of which were urging him to fuck her fast and furious right then.

"I think it is okay to continue," she encouraged softly, placing a kiss on his cheek.

Was she trying to comfort him? _Holy sweetness…_

Very slowly Teddy withdrew his length, easing himself out and then at the same tempo, he filled her back up again, inching into her as gently as possible. She was so incredibly tight, and her muscles contracted around him as he moved in and out of her warm, soft body. It was so difficult not to cum right there, but he willed himself to fight back against his orgasm as he stretched her, using his well-practiced Auror's self-possession to make this not so painful for her.

His fledgling lover whimpered again at the rocking motion he established, and he knew his size was hurting her. He wanted Tanith to enjoy this, but he also understood that this had been a problem with all of his previous relationships; bluntly, Teddy was sizable, and not many women could take him all in. Some even found this act too painful to enjoy with him as a result when he'd had less skill and experience. Now, however, he knew just what to do to make things better for his lover. "Hold onto me," he whispered in her ear, flicking his tongue over her favorite spot again. His sweet mewled in ecstasy from the touch and while he knew she was riding the pleasurable sensations, he used his muscles to tilt her hips up slightly, being extra careful not to bang into her cervix as he slowly began increasing his rhythm.

Very soon, Tanith's lovely body began to open up fully, and her natural sexuality emerged to discover the pleasure expressed from their love making. "So wonderful, Theodore," she mewled, gripping his biceps with pressure, digging her nails into his skin to urge him on. "I never knew..."

When her hips tentatively began meeting him surge for surge as her body's honest response took over, Teddy knew he could go a little harder and faster. He plunged in and out of his lover's lower body to a tempo that caused the bed to pitch slightly, creaking on its hinges. His beautiful Fairy urged him on this course with grasping, greedy hands roaming his body, gripping him and pulling herself up at him with equal force now. "Oooh, Theodore… _more_," she hissed, digging half-moon circles into his flesh that scored and drew blood. He loved the idea that she was marking him up and groaned in approval.

The sounds of their flesh slapping together as he let himself go, her keening, high pitched cries, his moans, and their gasping breaths were loud enough to be heard clear down the hall right then, but Teddy didn't care if the whole bloody world knew he was screwing this gorgeous creature in his arms. All that matter was that she was _his_. He kissed Tanith ferociously, mindless of anything except her sugared taste, the scent of her musky, honeyed sex, and the feel of her incredibly soft, willing body. He quickly stoked up the familiar heat in his loins, and knew he was close to spilling over. Her nails raked down his chest as she gasped out a breathless 'Yes, oh, _YES!_' causing an unexpected jolt of pleasure-pain to shoot through his body and straight into his penis. He had just enough sanity left over to wait for her to cry out under him as her climax exploded just then, dragging his sharply to the forefront in harmonious concurrence.

Teddy's orgasm was the most intense feeling he'd ever experienced. It smashed into him with agonizing bliss that seared straight into his center. As Tanith gripped him and drew him deep into her body, her thighs shaking, her scream of his name loud in his ear, Teddy shuddered over and over, shooting his hot seed into his lovely Fae goddess with a hoarse cry of his own. Star light burst behind his eyelids. His soul floated away on a cloud of ecstasy.

And then it was done, and he lay panting against his sweet one's bare shoulder, unable to move his leaden limbs. This session had left him so totally exhausted, and he was satisfied so completely that he was quite sure he could die happy on the spot. He gulped large breaths into his lungs, trying to calm his racing heart, and shut his eyes in post-coital bliss.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Something in Tanith's soul clicked into place as her body and Theodore's came together, and she knew in that shining, divine moment that she had given up her fate unto him permanently. She'd read about the phenomena from her people's Chronicles; her fellow cousins from ages past had described this exact sensation with their Human lovers just before they'd completely abandoned the Sidhe world to answer their destinies as mates to men.

Mates...

The reality of her predicament slammed into Tanith's happiness at that thought, shattering it apart. Her mother would never allow this attachment, would she? Tanith had a responsibility to help carry on the race, and there was no way her mother would let her walk away from that. She was predetermined to belong to the _Gancanagh_. She would be forced to form the mate bond with her King when he came of age, and become one his four concubines along with her three other cousins - the Queens of Fire, Earth, and Void - existing only to bear younglings for him.

But she had never wanted that fate. What she wanted was Theodore!

Inside her chest, Tanith's heart broke and she began to cry.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

When he was finally able to think clearly, Teddy realized that Tanith was hugging him tightly and sobbing. He weakly tried to sit up, but she wouldn't let him move, tightening her grip on him. "Wha… what's wrong?" he stammered, afraid he'd seriously hurt her by being so rough this first time. "Tanith?"

The beautiful Fae sniffled twice in his ear before replying. "I cannot help my feelings for you," she whispered, restating her earlier sentiment, only this time, there was a deeper import to the words. Her meaning was clear - she'd fallen in love with him.

Teddy wasn't sure how to feel about that. Tanith may have been watching him for years, but he'd only just met her tonight. And the Aes Sidhe were known for being deceitful and tricky. But the sex… abso-_fucking_-lutely mind numbing! He'd never felt anything like it. Then again, this passion between them wasn't natural either; it was magically induced. He'd pretty much been seduced by very powerful pheromones in a way that was no different from what the Veela did to unsuspecting, foolish men. Well, that and some universal idea that they belonged together - maybe. Somehow, he wasn't as bothered by the idea as he probably should have been. Neither was he particularly terrified or repelled by the revelation that his sweet, sexy Fairy dug on him hard.

In fact, the more he thought on it, the more her truth left him feeling warm and a little contented inside, instead of the usual cool indifference he'd felt in the past after the sex had finished between he and his partner.

"This type of attachment, however," she continued, her ribs heaving with fresh tears, "It is disallowed amongst my kind. And I am fated to belong to my King, the _Gancanagh_, the same as my cousin Queens. I cannot be with you after tonight."

Something inside Teddy bled hearing that his Lady would be touched by another. Correction: by his best friend's son, once he grew up. And not just touched – fucked, probably brutally and impregnated repeatedly, all for the sake of the race.

Teddy felt a strange possessiveness of this alluring temptress suddenly grip him in its teeth and clamp down hard. Tanith was _his_. He'd claimed her, taken her virginity. She belonged to _him_.

Wait, what?

Shit.

Teddy shook his head, trying to clear it, to think straight. This wasn't like him. He was acting like… well, like D did around Hermione.

Seriously, was this one of those weird star-fated things? Was he meant to be with Tanith? This pull he felt for her was definitely Sidhe power, but then again… Hadn't she said that when they'd first met all those years ago, there had been a connection then? He'd held her up and protected her while she'd cared for Granger. Had he unwittingly forged a bond with her that night, just as she had with Hermione after they'd touched and shared power?

His mouth opened to ask the questions, but what came out instead surprised him. "Can't you stay here? In this world, I mean," he asked, his voice sounding almost... desperate. "I thought some of your family crossed over and stayed here in the past."

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Wiping at her tears, Tanith shook her head at his question and sniffed dejectedly. "Only with their pre-arranged mates," she explained. "No Sidhe has ever been allowed to come here alone and without purpose."

And she knew that her own fate, as divined for her by her mother long ago, was clearly spelled out in the stars to indicate that she had absolutely no business being here with Theodore Nott, especially in this manner.

"And the High Queen has never permitted her subjects to mingle so freely with Humans, for fear of contaminating both species," she explained, blushing, hating that her mother was so bigoted and withdrawn, reflecting the same attitudes of past Queens. "My mother's prejudice against your kind is hardly secret. She loathed the very idea of mingling even so little as her aura with the little mother during the transference of our King years prior, and she has jealously kept the boy King from knowing much of your Human ways since." With bitterness, she sighed. "She pretends there is not a trace of any blood but High Fae within him. It is terrible to watch his questions about his real father and mother deflected." She sniffed in sadness. "The only way he knew of his true heritage was because he felt different. My mother refused to tell him, and forbade any of my cousins or I from educating him. For a child of barely five years, his knowledge and maturity far outstrips his experience. I fear her treatment of him has already done some damage. I pray the little mother and father can reach him."

Her mother… Tanith was so angry with the woman. The High Queen's fears and illogical racial and species hatred had cost Tanith a potentially happy childhood, isolating her from the world as a whole, forcing her to grow up with only adult female High Fae for company… which had always made her feel inadequate. In comparison to her much older, wiser, more beautiful cousins, and with no siblings, Tanith had been the one out. She'd always lived a very lonely existence, in all honestly. Until the day Theodore had dared to touch her, that was.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Well, fuck it all if that didn't sound like the same Pureblood dogmatic nonsense Teddy had been practically brainwashed with since childhood. It seemed the Sidhe were as snobbishly prejudiced as some wizards were about their progeny.

With a deep sigh, Teddy touched his beauty's face gently, catching freshly falling tears against his thumb. "Maybe can you make a case that you're seeing someone on this side?" he hoped.

Tanith's golden eyebrows flew into her hairline. "You mean to make me your mate?"

Was there a better way to express his surprise than to swear? Teddy was starting to wonder where his considerable lexiconic genius had hidden itself lately. "In for a penny, in for a pound," he murmured the old adage about taking all of the risks at once, astonished that he was actually considering this proposal. "What would being your mate entail?" he hedged, unsure as to his interest, but willing to listen at this point.

A fresh wave of tears flooded Tanith's eyes, spilling over in streams. "We would forge a blood bond between us tonight, declaring our heart's intentions. Later, during the summer solstice, we could hold a traditional ceremony."

Teddy's stomach rioted. "Blood bond? I'm almost afraid to ask."

Running her fingertips smoothly across his jaws, his blonde lover explained. "A small cut on the palms, which would then be pressed together. Nothing nefarious, I promise. But it does serve as a magical contract, tying us one to the other." She blushed shyly once more. "We would… feel each other's hearts, and our fates would shift to become fully entwined. The union would be permanent, Theodore, lasting until the end of our individual lives. If you agree to this path, there would be no opportunity for you to walk away later."

Teddy considered her proposal _very_ seriously.

On the one hand, he had a gorgeous, sexy, willing woman - one who clearly had feelings for him – throwing herself at him. And, to be fair, he was more than a little fond of her in return. In fact, he was quite sure that what they had would evolve into something quite wonderful if he gave it half a chance. And she wanted that opportunity with him with a long-term commitment. She would be a guaranteed someone to wake up with every morning, someone to talk to and hold hands with, someone to eat meals with, someone to have fantastic sex with, and someone to kiss goodnight and hold in his arms as they slept.

On the other hand, he had… He looked at the path of his life and saw only an empty, unfulfilling loneliness waiting for him. The two people he loved most in the whole world had finally moved beyond him today, he had no family or real friends except for D and Hermione, and they had each other now. He was the awkward third-wheel in their friendship's unconsummated ménage a trois now. Outside of them, he only had his job and fleeting acquaintances… and a whole lot of nothing to look forward to if he kept on this same path.

Shit, he had everything to gain this time if he took her up on her offer, didn't he?

Hell, maybe all of this was some sort of weird karmic blessing after all! He'd be an absolute fool not to take this chance, wouldn't he? Besides, what was life without some risks, right? He looked back down into Tanith's simple, pure gaze and felt his lips stretch the boundaries of his cheeks. "Let's do it," he grinned foolishly and wiggled his eyebrows up and down twice. "Let's mate." _Before I lose my nerve_, he thought dryly.

His beauty paused for a breath to register what he'd said, and then the brightest smile erupted across her features and she threw her arms about his neck, hugging him tightly and crying at the same time. "Oh, Theodore! Yes, yes, yes!"

Separating their bodies (which caused Teddy to get hard all over again just looking down), Tanith had them kneel on the bed, facing each other. She then held out her left palm and running a fingernail over the center and whispering a word simultaneously, she caused a break in the skin to appear and blood welled up. It was red, just as Teddy's was, which made him curiously relieved. He wasn't sure what to expect, honestly.

"You next," she prompted and he held his left palm. His Fairy reached for him, but stopped. "You are positive this is what you want?" she asked, a slight quiver of fear in her musical voice.

Teddy looked at her – _really_ looked. Gods, she was _so_ beautiful, with her perfectly sculpted face, and those adorable pointed ears. She was so sincere, too, her wide eyes reflecting an honest anxiety, afraid he would reject her. She wanted him and he couldn't help but want her and what she represented for his future back. She was so… perfect. And this moment felt _so_ right. He nodded once. "Yes, I'm sure."

A small stinging pain, and then his crimson blood met the air. Turning their palms towards each other, Tanith immediately sealed them together, winding her small fingers through his. He gripped her back tightly. "I offer myself to you as your bonded mate, Theodore Nott," she whispered, shimmering tears forming in her eyes again. "And I would accept you as mine in exchange."

Compelled by the magic he could feel stirring through their joined flesh, he repeated the oath back to her, and just like that, the ceremony was complete. He felt the cut on his hand seal shut, felt his new mate's hot blood flow into his veins, taking root, and knew from her gasp that she felt likewise.

As simple as that, he'd gotten himself a life partner. He was, in effect, a married man, now.

Holy shit.

It seemed almost… too easy.

When the overwhelming lust struck again like a viper, rising in him with an untamed madness that knew no rationality, Teddy understood suddenly what it meant to be someone's mate. Everything inside him roared into existence; every nerve attuned itself to his beautiful Fae Queen, and in his heart, he felt himself realign his feelings to hers. With a wild, primal drive to claim his mate, to forge them together as one in a physical union, Teddy's body moved of its own accord, and he had his woman down on her back again, and was between her legs in seconds, thrusting up into her wet, tight channel once more with his raging, thick arousal, making them both cry out as they made love again. His body was amped like an Amortentia junkie's, unwilling to meet its end until its complete satisfaction had been met.

He ejaculated into her three times in less than half an hour, then another three times after a short twenty minute respite, then again one more time after a ten minute break… and he was _still _rearing to go even as he crashed from the high of this last climax. It was magically induced sex, he knew that, but he was helpless before this powerful drive, ignoring the pain that wracked every one of his muscles. And his cock… shit, he was going to be sore for a week! But even knowing all of that, he couldn't seem to stop. He just kept coming into her, filling Tanith's belly with his seed, feeling their combined fluids drip down between them this last time as she was flooded by yet another of his orgasms, this one going for almost half a minute, dragging every drop of his essence from his body to find a home within her.

And throughout it all, Teddy felt himself inescapably being bound to her magically as well; felt his heart begin beating at the same rhythm and in time with hers, and tasted the air as she drew it into her lungs. If he'd been a man to believe in souls, he would have said he'd merged with hers in those short hours. It was so profound a joining that he wanted to weep and scream with happiness at the same time.

He finally belonged to someone after a lifetime of bitter unhappiness and loneliness… and that was just _fucking __awesome_ as far as Teddy was concerned!

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

Tanith's joy knew no bounds. She gave everything she was over to this beautiful, kind male, reveling in his warm caresses, his sweet lips, his powerful thrusts. The world outside ceased to exist for her; there was only his scent in her nose, his taste across her tongue, his eyes staring at her with blossoming feeling.

_I love you, Theodore_, she thought during every single bringing he wrung from her body. _I love you, my mate!_

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

By five o'clock that morning, Teddy was completely, utterly, monstrously worn out, but strangely elated at the same time. He felt oddly at ease for the first time in his whole, relatively miserable life; as if a part of him that had been gaping and missing and yearning had finally found what it needed to be completely fulfilled.

Tanith was redressing, just placing that tiny, yet ridiculously heavy crown on her brow when he came up behind her and held her tightly. "I wish you didn't have to leave," he murmured against her neck, placing a soft kiss on the smooth, silky skin.

She leaned against him, allowing his strength to encompass her delicate, sylphlike frame. "I will be able to communicate with you if you send your Patronus. The magic can cross the Null. And we will see each other within the week, as I promised. I will return to your side then, never to leave it again, my love."

Teddy nodded. "Yeah, I'll just… miss you." He swallowed back his nervousness at the thought of letting her go back to her mother alone, knowing the High Queen was not going to be happy that her daughter had snuck over to the other side of the Void to deliver her message that D and Hermione's son would be returning to them this next year, much less that she'd mated a Human of their acquaintance without parental permission. He could imagine how awful that confrontation would be, and wanted to be at Tanith's side for it, but his mate had refused, claiming that it was better she appear alone. After all, the Sidhe didn't see men as anything other than breeding studs, in general, and so his presence would only make things harder on them both, she'd argued. He'd given in only when she'd pleaded with him to trust her to handle the situation. At that point, he'd been unable to say 'no' without feeling like a jerk.

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

"I'll miss you as well," Tanith swallowed back her disappointment. She didn't want to leave her mate's side either, but the pull of dawn's approach snapped her out of their moment of intimacy like a fire struck into life in a darkened room. She turned her head in the direction of the French doors on the other side of the room, feeling the tug grow stronger. Tsillah would automatically find her aura wherever it was, she knew, and open the Null rift for her at the proper time. For that reason, she wanted to be outside, looking at the stars, under the grand canopy of the sky alongside her lover before she was forced to part from him.

Taking his hand, she cast a warming spell over both of them with a thought and led them outside. The doors parted for her with another thought and then she was gazing up into the heavens, leaning back into her lover's arms. He was still very naked, but seemed unconcerned in the slightest by his lack of dress.

Oh, she couldn't wait to share every night with him like this, with his magic and hers winding about them languidly, cocooning them in collective feeling. Already, she could feel he was falling in love with her. It was there, as he opened his heart to the idea gradually. She would be patient, would let it unfold and evolve on its own naturally, knowing this gift – that of his unconditional love - was not that far off in the giving.

Staring up into the indigo skies, she looked for her star, Sheliak, within Lyra, finding it easily, drawn to it automatically. She knew its position as assuredly as she knew where her two feet were at any time. Nearby was the constellation Draco, which she had been set to watch over from the time of her birth, and Thuban, the dragon – Draco Malfoy's _real_ star rested comfortably in formation (Eltanin, the serpent being the false star that had belonged to the little father's alternate personality – the one so-named 'Malfoy'). Cradled within Draco, was the Dragon's wing constellation, known as the Little Bear or Ursa Minor. Within that configuration was Hermione Granger's star – Kochab, the heavenly one - shining brightly. And there…

Wait, what was that? A new star appeared near to hers which hadn't been there previously, on the edge of the constellation Cygnus, the Swan. It twinkled at her. She looked over her shoulder at Teddy in confusion. It was _his _star. She could feel that to be true, deep in her bones.

Cygnus and Lyra… A fated pair. A good omen.

Her mother, it seemed, had been wrong.

With a deep, satisfied breath, she snuggled even closer to her mate, scenting him – rich, woodsy spices from his cologne, and an unidentifiable, musky smell that was all Teddy's own. He was intoxicating to her senses, and her body responded accordingly, dampening itself once more between her legs… Yes, the magical bond of mates was settling in nicely now.

"How will we know when it's time?" he asked her, tightening his hold. The sadness in his voice pulled at Tanith's heart.

"The sun will peak, and the gate will open before us," she explained, feeling her good mood begin to evaporate like dew on a dry summer afternoon. She didn't want to go!

Under her ear, she heard Teddy swallow back his disappointment hard. "When?"

Exhaling a deep sigh, she nuzzled the back of her head against his shoulder. "Soon," she told him, feeling the magic in the air grow thicker, more powerful. Sunrise, Full Noon and Sunset were the most enchanted times of the day, when the horizons of the earth touched the three Pillars of Heaven, each according to their corresponding match. Sunrise was the province of the Phoenix, Full Noon the Kirin, and Sunset the Celestial Dragon. Right now, as Tanith truly listened, she could hear the song of the enchanted firebird tremble through the hush; it was a joyful, trilling sound that filled her heart with hope.

"What is that?" her lover asked in a whisper, clearly awed by the divine music. "It's… _so beautiful_."

She was beginning to share some of her power with him; the merging was happening so quickly! "The Phoenix, Fawkes. He is welcoming the dawn, as he does every morning. This song vibrates throughout the cosmos for all to hear, should they have ears to listen."

They remained silent, attentive until the song finally faded and the sun's rays touched the edge of the horizon.

"Wow," was all her mate could say. "Just… _wow_."

Tanith nodded, feeling a smile warm her heart back up. Teddy would experience many more joys over the coming months as their bond solidified, and when they were finally sealed under the Beltane ceremony during the summer solstice, he would know all of the mysteries of the universe that Tanith did.

She couldn't wait to share it all with him!

X~~~~~~~~~~~X

With great reluctance, Teddy had let Tanith's hand go and watched her walk into the brilliance of the rift that appeared before them. Before she'd faded from sight, she'd turned and smiled. "I will return to your side within one week. Wait for me."

And he had… he'd waited, eager for the moment he could be reunited with his love.

But Tanith did not reappear. Not a week later. Not a month later. And she hadn't replied to his Patronus, no matter how often he sent it to find her over the next six months.

By the following June 21st – the summer solstice - he was heartbroken and desperate when there was no sign of his mate. Something was purposefully keeping her from his side; he knew it deep in his soul. He felt empty and was half-crazed by the not-knowing where she was, and what had happened. His friends worried for his deteriorating health over those months, but there was nothing he could do. The mate bond tied him to her, and without her nearby, he was withering away. He'd tried everything to find her, even enlisting the aid of Minerva McGonagall, Acies Excultum (the Ministry expert on rare magical creatures), and Harry Potter, all to no avail.

In final desperation, he made plans to go to Japan at the beginning of July, intending on forcing an audience with the Kirin, hoping the most magical of creatures could give him advice or would offer him aid. Hermione and D escorted him on his trip, to guarantee his entry into the Japanese Imperial grounds.

X~~~~~~~~~~~XX~~~~~~~~~~~XX~~~~~~~~~~~XX~~~~~~~~~~~XX~~~~~~~~~~~X

_**Kin-En (the Fukiage Gardens), Emperor's Imperial Palace, Tokyo, Japan**_

_**July 1st, 2002 **_

Teddy had never seen the Kirin, not that he could remember anyway. In his recent round of research on magical creatures for Grang… er, Mrs. Malfoy… he'd seen a picture of her, taken sometimes in the 1960's. The image had stunned him, left him breathless as he'd looked into its eyes, but that experience could never have captured adequately what was before him now… she was all sunlight and beauty. There really was no other way to describe her. She glowed like fire and gold and lava all at once. No wonder Hermione's ribbon was so amazing to behold, made as it was from this creature's own mane.

In an instant, she had shimmered in a manner that defied all magic that Teddy knew, and in the place of the terribly wondrous creature stood a rather attractive Japanese woman dressed in layer upon layer of dress robes in, what Teddy assumed, was an ancient customary costume. When she bowed in the traditional eastern method of greeting, he was compelled to return the gesture, although he did it somewhat clumsily, as he was unfamiliar with such etiquette.

Turning odd, lavender-colored eyes on his friends, a small smile split the female's face. "We are pleased to meet you both again," her musically lilting voice filled the space with her _presence_ more so than her bestial form had. There was power behind that mouth of hers. "And it warms our heart to know you have come to love each other once more, as you were ever meant to."

Hermione smiled, taking Draco's hand firmly in one of hers, while the other gripped the red silken length which she always wore in her hair now. "Thank you for the wedding gift. It's beautiful, as I'd imagined it would be. And…" She looked hesitantly at Draco, whose steel eyes were carefully masked before plodding on. "I'm glad that you achieved your wish and foaled."

The Kirin bowed deeply towards her. "We are eternally grateful for the sacrifice you had made on our behalf. You gave us the hope we needed to endure." Righting herself, she turned to Teddy then. "And you, son of Nott, you have come here to find news of your mate."

Teddy's eagerness rose to the front, and he stepped towards her, fists clenched at his sides to keep him from flying apart. "Yes, my lady. Do you know where she is? I've tried everything…" He sounded pathetically desperate even to his own ears, but Teddy didn't rightly care. Tanith was his whole world, his _need_, and he _had_ to find her, no matter the cost to his pride, his sanity, even to his life.

The Kirin blinked, turned her head, listening to something that no one else could hear. "Your mate is in her homeland, safe for the time being."

A shuddering explosion of breath escaped Teddy's lungs and he closed his eyes and bowed his head in relief to know at least this much. "_Please_ help me to reach her." He felt and sounded so broken, like the half man he'd become. He'd changed so much in six months, neglecting his work, his health, his sleep. He'd lost weight, looked tired all the time, ate very little, and he'd only this morning – at Hermione's insistence – shaved off the mangy beard and moustache he'd uncaringly let grow across his jaw and upper lip (he'd also been forced into a shower and then into clean, pressed robes at her insistence).

"It is beyond our power to open a rift within the Null," the Kirin explained to him with brutal honesty. "That is the realm of the Celestial Dragon, mine Brother. But this, he will not do for you, for you have nothing to offer him that he wants. Of that, we are quite certain."

Teddy gritted his teeth in disappointment, wanting to cry. The Sidhe had withdrawn from the world, entering a dimension outside of his reality, and there was just no way to reach them in person alone. How could he possibly be reunited with Tanith without the aid of some all-powerful magical Being to help? If the Kirin could do nothing, and her Dragon brother wouldn't grant his wish, then he'd come all this way for nothing - and he was still without his woman.

"What about help from the Sidhe themselves?" Hermione asked. "You're in contact with them, and they once opened up a portal and crossed over here six years ago. Why not ask them to arrange for that again? Even if only so he can talk to Tanith." She took a step closer to the pretty, disguised creature. "He's dying slowly from being apart from her. Surely you can see that."

Again, those fathomless purple irises turned on him. "Your mate made a bargain with the Aes Sidhe Queen of the Void, whose debt she has been in remittance of ever since. And because of our past, we have made a vow to their High Queen not to interfere in the magical contracts of the Sidhe again. We cannot interfere."

Teddy's insides spilled into his shoes and ice-cold fear gripped his chest. Slytherin's soul, it was as he'd feared all those months ago! Sidhe were master manipulators, and Tanith had said she wasn't sure if she'd have to pay Tsillah back someday. "What... has she been made to do?" He almost didn't want to know.

The Kirin stared into his very soul with her omnipotent gaze. "Nothing that would harm her… or the child she carries."

His heart fell out of him. A child…

"Mine?"

A barely perceptible nod of that blue-black hair was all Teddy was given in confirmation.

Draco caught him before he his knees hit the ground, holding his weight up with a flexing of those powerful arms. Over a year ago, Teddy would have given anything to be touched this way by his best friend, but now, all he could see was Tanith – an image of her belly swollen with his son or daughter, of her beautiful platinum hair falling to her waist like a shimmering curtain of white-gold, of her silvery eyes shining with love. _His_ mate, carrying _his_ child. He was going to be a father!

"Easy, dad," D murmured with a chuckle against his temple, helping Teddy regain his feet. "Can't have you busting that thick head of yours open."

The joking brought him back into himself, and Teddy forced himself to regain his composure. Locking his legs, he stood on his own two feet, fighting back against the trembling effects of the adrenaline rush that coursed through his weakened body. "Thanks," he muttered, pushing himself out of Draco's embrace. "I've got it."

Stepping back once he was satisfied that Teddy wasn't going to topple over, his best friend hovered by his side protectively, but Teddy had regained his dignity and pride, adjusting his cloak to cover for his inadequacy.

Right. He needed answers. Now.

Turning back to the Kirin, he became all business, pushing aside his emotional turmoil, gripping onto the one feeling he knew he could ride out to carry him to the end: anger. "What did Tsillah demand of Tanith in payment?"

A soft sigh escaped the small, thin lips of the Kirin. "As we explained, nothing harmful. She merely wished to experience the joy of pregnancy alongside her cousin Queen."

Teddy's eyebrow raised in concern, his mind whirling in an instant over a half-dozen possible ways to interpret that statement. "Experience the joy in what way precisely?"

Again, the Kirin tilted her ear up, doing that weird listening thing. "She is… sharing the sensations. Emotions are as currency to the Aes Sidhe, and they may experience the feelings of those they touch by magically bonding to them temporarily, as you are well aware. It is a very special gift, never to be offered or asked for lightly from another." She slowly stepped up to Teddy and placed one delicate, golden hand upon his arm very hesitantly, as if she were aware that touch was also one of those things that was never offered or asked for lightly from another either. "Be at ease, young Lord. The Queen of the Void would not harm your mate. She is quite attached to her younger cousin, in sooth, and is merely learning what it means to carry a child under her heart, in preparation for her own time in the far off future, when she becomes a bride of the _Gancanagh_."

"If it's not that big a deal, then why hasn't Tanith responded to any of my Patronuses?" he demanded.

The hand withdrew from Teddy slowly, cautiously. "I fear it is the same reason that her mother Queen did not contact Hermione and Draco Malfoy regarding their son's return to the world of mortals. Queen Temair has been jealously guarding her daughter from the outside world, turning back your efforts to communicate with her only child."

Teddy got it then and he snarled. "It's that pureblood prejudice shit again, right? She said her mother didn't like the Sidhe mating with Humans, and that she only allowed it under special circumstances, when fate forced her hand." He ran a hand through his dark bangs, which had grown out since he's stopped cutting his hair six months ago. "Christ almighty! It wasn't bad enough that Voldemort tried to destroy the world with that crap!" He pointed rudely into the face of the Kirin. "Well, you can just tell that bitch Temair to stuff a cork in it and sit down, because she wouldn't have her precious King if not for Humans! I want my woman back _NOW_!"

To his surprise, Hermione reached out and lowered his arm gently, reminding him of his insulting gesture. It was unwise to piss off someone as powerful as the Kirin.

Chagrined, Teddy cast a wry apology the creature's way for his behavior, rubbing a shaky hand over his eyes. "I'm just… I've been so worried, and to know that Temair hates me is bad enough. That she'd do something like this… Tanith's _my_ mate! I won't stand for these games. I won't tolerate anyone interfering in our bond. The Queen is hurting me, maybe even Tanith and our baby, all in the name of racial bigotry!"

At that exact moment, the Kirin's son appeared before them. He was as opposite his mother in coloring and size as night and day. Standing at nearly twice her height, his scales were black, his horn was onyx, his hooves burned with blue flame, his mane and tail glowed with a peacock purple-blue-green shimmering blaze. Only the eyes were alike. In a swirl of cherry blossom petals, he changed form into that of a Human male, approximately twenty years of age or so, extremely tall, with very handsome Asian features, a strong body, and long, black hair that fell to his waist, tied up neatly on his head in a topknot. He was splendid in this disguise, bowing to them in precise greeting, as was proper. "Mother, may I speak?" he asked without hesitation, using the more personalized "I" instead of the distant, royal "We" his mother affected. His voice was deep, smooth as honey and crisply formal.

A mocking smile graced the female Kirin's perfect lips. "As is often the case, our son, you do as you please."

He bowed in respectful thanks to his mother, not trying to appear cheeky, and turned the full weight of those mystical eyes onto Teddy. "I am not constrained by any promise not to interfere in Sidhe business, as my mother is. So, I'll bargain for you to get your mate back from her people. But in return, I want something from them." He pointed to Hermione and Draco.

Instantly, Draco stepped between the two Kirin and his wife, gripping her hand in one of his fiercely, his face a mask of cold wariness. "We'll make no more bargains with your kind."

The male Kirin measured him carefully. "I'm here because of you," he commented with a gentle smile that softened his features, making him appear truly Human, something his mother couldn't even accomplish, despite adopting Human mannerisms. "For that, and for my mother's life, I truly thank you." The smile dropped suddenly. "But like my mother, I will die without a mate. I need your assistance in achieving this goal."

"There's a whole world of lonely bints out there," Draco growled. "Pick one of them and leave us out of it."

The male Kirin shook his head. "I cannot. My mate must be from your line, a product of the same love that was used in my own creation. The heavens have ordained it such. But I cannot force you. You must agree of your own free will." He turned back to Teddy. "If you care for your friend, I can give him what he wants immediately and ease the pain in his soul. But the Sidhe will require something from me in exchange, and the bargain will undoubtedly be something… _uncomfortable_ for me to trade. If I am to give so much for a perfect stranger, is it not fair to require something of equal value in return."

Hermione stepped around her husband with a gentle hand on his arm to let him know it would be all right. "What would be your terms, should we accept?" she inquired, facing off against the male Kirin fearlessly.

Teddy watched her with trepidation. Half of him wanted to take them all and walk away right now, to keep them from making anymore potentially devastating bargains with magical Beings. But the other half… he wanted, _needed_ Tanith. Being without her was an ache that was eating him up inside slowly, consuming him. The longer the separation, the more desperately weak he was becoming. And if Temair had her way, he'd never be with his mate, or their child. Without them, he knew deep in his very soul that he'd die. The bond they'd forged the night they made love was so firmly in place now that it was physically and emotionally painful being apart from his lover. So, although it was incredibly selfish of him, Teddy was almost willing to make whatever bargain the Kirin required. For that reason, he kept his hands at his sides and his mouth shut, waiting to see how this discussion played out. He wouldn't ask his best friends overtly for anything, but he wouldn't interfere if they chose to make this sacrifice for him either.

The male Kirin looked down at the brave witch before him and smiled again. "I would ask for one of your daughters to be my mate when she comes of age."

Draco's snarl was so loud in the glade that Teddy was sure the sound had come from some great cat instead of from a Human throat. "No _fucking_ way! Forget it!"

"I would treat her with reverence and respect," the Kirin promised. "I would give her all in my power that she asked for. I would not enslave her to my desires magically, nor require she make any sacrifice for me that she did not willingly wish to make. I would never abandon her. I would, in effect, bind my very heart to hers." He smiled brighter. "What more could you want for your child than a… husband, I believe you call it… who would care for her with all tenderness until her final breath?"

Teddy stood on the proverbial edge, waiting, praying, hoping, and feeling guilty for wishing that this bargain – which didn't sound quite so terrible to him, honestly – would be agreed to by his best friends. His very life rested on Hermione and Draco's decision now.

Hermione bit her lip, toyed with the ribbon in her hair as she considered a course of action. "I have a counter proposal that I think might be more acceptable to all parties," she finally relayed.

Teddy nodded immediately in acquiescence, just relieved that she'd ever considered making a deal for his happiness. Draco's face, however, turned crimson, but his best male friend clamped his lips shut, waiting to see and hear what his wife was up to. And the Kirin… he seemed intrigued and implied with a turn of his hand for her to continue.

"I think it is wrong to bind a person to a fate not of their choosing, one which they cannot escape, and which has real consequences that are irrevocable and possibly unfulfilling," she began, adopting that 'legal' business voice of hers that often broke down the other side in an argument or negotiation – especially if that second party were her husband. "The Sidhe did that to Draco long ago, and it nearly cost him his life. If not for your mother's interference, he would have died the minute he took the Dark Mark… and then you never would have been brought into existence, because he and I wouldn't have fallen in love. So, you can see as how forcing a choice on someone isn't the best way to go about getting what you want." She looked pointedly at the Kirin then. "However, I don't think it hurts for events or people to receive a proper… _nudge_… in the right direction from time to time, to achieve the best possible results. Think of it as using honey instead vinegar. An enticing suggestion is much preferred over a brutish command, don't you think?"

The female Kirin's smile wound slowly up her face. "It was very clever of your _Sempai,_ Dumbledore, to trick fate as he did with that magical book, as now our words that were spoken so long ago are returned unto us, and we cannot argue their logic." She nodded. "Yes, sometimes, it is imperative that the heavens receive a… _nudge_, as you say… to set things in their proper order."

The former Gryffindor princess nodded that curly, riotous hair of hers enthusiastically. "And seeing as how this deal is predicated on a lot of unknowns and too many 'what ifs' anyway, as there is absolutely no guarantee that you'll succeed in your own negotiation with the Aes Sidhe, given all of the barriers, what you're asking for is an unbalanced trade in this case. You want us to vow to produce something certain on our end for a result on your end that may not succeed, Kirin." She looked at the male breed seriously with those piercing brown eyes of hers that made even Potter succumb to her will.

The handsome Kirin simply smirked, understanding he'd been effectively trapped by her reasonable, commonsensical argument. "Hajime," he offered. "My name is Hajime, if you please."

Hermione bowed her head once politely. "Forgive me for being so blunt, Hajime, but surely you can see the unfairness in your request?"

The man-creature nodded. "What do you suggest in compromise then?" he asked neutrally.

Lady Malfoy turned towards her husband and they shared a moment of silent communication. Teddy couldn't interpret the look if he'd tried; he'd given up months ago attempting to understand the intricacies of their bond. It was worlds beyond anything he could fathom, stemming from a magical genesis that had been years in the making.

With a grunting huff in defeat, Draco turned his face away and nodded once, giving in to whatever Hermione had in mind. She turned back to the Kirin and Teddy held his breath, literally, poised to either be destroyed or saved by the next few minutes.

"If you're willing to work for Teddy's mate, then I want you to work for your own," she laid down the terms in a no-nonsense tone. "If we have a daughter, we'll allow for a trial engagement in which you may court her properly - the terms of which we'll sit down to fine-tune as soon as you return from the Sidhe's homeland. If you can win any daughter of ours on your own merits during the agreed upon courting stage, we'll give you our blessings. But if it turns out that she doesn't want you, you agree to let her go. And if you fail to get Tanith back for Teddy in, say, seven days from today, the entire agreement is null and void to begin with. You getting a shot at wooing our child is on the table only so long as Teddy gets his mate and unborn child back permanently within a week. And I don't care what deal you make with the Sidhe to assure that happens, so long as it doesn't have anything to do with giving those awful women access to our family ever again."

Hajime blinked, and Teddy could read the serious consideration of the terms upon his shrewd face. Magical creatures were, in general, incredibly good at looking for loopholes to exploit in any agreement, and Teddy was sure that this male before him was no different in that aspect. The man-beast looked at Draco first, and then back to Hermione before dropping a potentially ruinous bomb on the whole proceeding.

"You will assure your daughter's chastity while she is under your guardianship. That is a term that is non-negotiable. She must be a pure virgin when she accepts me."

Draco's face turned puce at the unintended insult, and he spun about, ready to launch himself at the Kirin with fists ready… but Hermione was there immediately, turning to block her husband with all the thunder in the sky upon her face, her arms outspread to prevent violence. "Stop, Draco! Teddy needs this!" she reminded him sternly in a loud remonstration, and Teddy blushed, not wanting to be the reason for his best friend's disagreement. He opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione shot him a warning glance and he buttoned up pronto, knowing from experience that it was a mistake to argue with her. She turned her attention back to D. "He's been loyal and loving and kind, Draco, and he has never asked us for a single thing in return for years of giving us everything he could. He _needs_ this chance. If we don't get Tanith soon… Please, just trust me with this."

Spitting mad, Draco stared hate into Hajime's face, and Teddy knew what it was costing his friend's pride to step back, to relax his shoulders, to swallow his anger and to give in to his wife's pleas. For his part, the male Kirin did not react, meeting D's gaze calmly without flinching or antagonizing the situation further. Hermione's arms dropped, and she dared to step forward, putting a gentle hand on her man's arm. "At least this way, we can assure that if we have a daughter, she'll have a choice. And she won't be used or abused by boys her age. You know what can happen in a co-ed boarding school as well as I do if she gets a Hogwarts invitation. Now we'll have an excuse to keep her from being… exploratory… at too young an age, like we were." She stepped even closer to her husband, who had blanched a little as he realized what he'd really been doing at age sixteen back in the darkened halls of his high school, not wanting to think of any daughter of his caught in the same compromising position, clearly. "This is a win-win this time, Draco. No one will get hurt."

"Unless he fails or lies," D pointed out flatly, nudging his chin in the male Kirin's direction, his predatory, menacing eyes never leaving the creature's face.

With an absolute, almost arrogant faith that Teddy had not seen very often repeated in his life, Hajime replied to his best friend's challenge with the utmost confidence. "I won't fail and I never lie."

With a sneer of disbelief and a snort, Draco scoffed. "We'll see."

With that capitulation, the matter was settled. Hajime turned to his mother, an excited, almost boyish grin exploding across his face. For her part, the female Kirin said nothing, letting this be her son's decision, yet in her beautiful lilac-colored eyes, Teddy read the inevitable sadness that all parents struggled with when realizing their children are growing up and leaving them.

With a nod, the male Kirin stepped forward and extended his arm towards Hermione in the wizard's way of sealing a deal. "I accept the bargain you offer then."

Hermione grabbed Draco's resisting hand and the two of them placed their entwined fingers over Hajime's. "We accept the bargain as well," Hermione made her promise, and nudged D, who grit out his own agreement between his clenched teeth.

As they shook, Teddy's reserve cracked finally, and he buried his head in his hands, trying to stifle his relieved sob. His best friends had just given him a chance to save his heart. How could he ever repay them for so great a gift? He felt two sets of warm arms come around and cage him in almost immediately; he was cradled back against Draco's chest, while Hermione – on tiptoe – bent his head into her neck. He wrapped arms about her and let himself be comforted this one time. No words were spoken between the three of them; none needed to be. All knew the profoundness of this moment, and they allowed it to play out without interruption for long minutes, while Teddy cried for the first time in his adult life.

When his sobs eventually tapered off and then silenced, and Teddy was once more back in command of his emotions, with a clap of his hands, Hajime rubbed his palms together, breaking through the mood. "Well, I suppose I should get going right away," he turned back to his mother and bowed deeply. "See you soon, I hope."

With a deep sigh, the female Kirin looked into the heavens and nodded, then held her arms out. "Submit unto us a proper fare thee well, son," she required, and allowed her buck-stallion a kiss on the cheek and an uncharacteristic hug.

He turned to Teddy and his friends and smiled. "Be assured, Theodore Nott, I promise not to fail you," he arrogantly boasted. "Your mate will be with you again within the week. And then, we will sit to discuss the terms of my future engagement, my lord and lady." He bowed low to them all, stepped back on his heel, and in a swirl of cherry blossom petals, turned and simply vanished. There was no crack of apparition, no snapping noise of a portkey; he simply disappeared, using a type of magic that Teddy had never seen before.

The female Kirin cleared her throat. "It would seem, dear friends, that fate is not yet done with any of us after all." She bowed low to indicate that this interview was now over. "We will meet again, to be sure."

Teddy, Hermione and Draco all observed the ritual _sayonara_ bow, and when they looked back up, the Kirin was gone.

To his right, Hermione let out a deep sigh then. "Well, now we wait."

X~~~~~~~~~~~XX~~~~~~~~~~~XX~~~~~~~~~~~XX~~~~~~~~~~~XX~~~~~~~~~~~X

_**Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England**_

_**July 7th, 2002 **_

Teddy paced back and forth on swift moving legs, sipping from the crystal glass containing a smooth, dark amber-colored Firewhiskey that D had poured for him, his mind in turmoil. He cut a continuously looping path between the large oak desk in the library to the couches, where all four of the Malfoys – Lucius, Narcissa, Draco and Hermione – sat in silence, waiting with him and watching to make sure he didn't fly out of his skin.

The Patronus he had received two hours ago from Hajime – shaped to look exactly like his Kirin form, of course – said he had succeeded in his promised task and would be appearing at the Malfoy ancestral home within the next few hours with Tanith. Teddy was on edge from the anticipation, his jaw clenched, his guts rolling. Inside his chest, his jack hammering heart was attempting to burst its way through ribs and skin.

"You're wearing a hole in my carpet," the elder Lord Malfoy growled low. He was there because he'd insisted that he be present for any contractual negotiation with the Kirin regarding any possible grandchild of his. As an expert businessman who had done his share of parlaying with the likes of tricky, double-talking Goblins, Lucius Malfoy was an asset on their side of the table in this instance. Besides, they couldn't have kept the man away if they'd tried, him being so adamant to control where the Malfoy family honor and name were being exposed.

"Leave him be, darling," Narcissa gently rebuked. "Dealing with Aes Sidhe is nerve-wracking enough."

And she should know, Teddy thought wryly, having once cut her own deal with the High Fae for the hand of Lucius long ago, according to the diary and her own admission later.

He took another swig of his drink, getting close to the bottom. He hadn't wanted to glug his alcohol and make himself falling-down drunk, only to consume a bit to calm his nerves. That had been two glasses ago, though, and now he was amped and buzzing. "Where is he?" he snarled for the third time in less than half an hour, not caring how ridiculous he sounded.

"He'll be here," Hermione assured him tenderly. "He promised."

Teddy looked up to catch D's face at that moment. Clearly, the guy didn't have much faith in the Kirin, as his lips twisted up in bitterness. But then, his best friend was a cynical bastard at times, too. Teddy tried to ignore the negativity. Running a hand through his straight, dark bangs, which he had left long despite cutting the rest of his hair short on the sides and back, he finished off his glass and set it on the side table, adjusting his robes again nervously.

"For goodness sake, Teddy, come sit down…" Hermione offered, but was interrupted quite suddenly by a rushing, roaring sound careening past his ears, and then a rent in the air appeared close to the large hearth, starting small, but splitting upwards and outwards quickly. A bright, white light erupted from it and the earthy, loamy scent of spring filled the air. Teddy's heart leapt into his mouth and his knees nearly gave way as he realized what was happening.

His mate was here! He could feel the bond within his whole being vibrate in response to her presence, pulling him unresistingly to her side. His feet moved without thought, stopping him right before the rift. A small, petite hand he recognized reached through and he grabbed it without question, drawing Tanith out to him. When their fingers contacted, his whole body came to attention, seemed to breathe with life once more. The winter of his soul transformed with melting joy into full blooming summer, and tears sprang to his eyes in response. When she stepped through fully, his beautiful Fairy was glorious to behold…

… and _very_ pregnant with his child.

Without pause, he drew her into his chest and cradled her carefully to his heart, exhaling a huge, tremulous sigh of relief. His other half of his soul had returned to him finally. They didn't speak, simply held on to each other as if nothing else in the whole world mattered. She was crying, too. He felt her tears bathe his thin, cotton shirt, and was wounded at the same time as he was baptized by them.

"As promised, Theodore Nott," Hajime intoned boastfully, "Your mate is home."

Teddy hadn't even been aware that the male Kirin had appeared, nor that the doorway through the Null had disappeared until he looked up at his address. With shaky emotion, he found his voice. "Thank you." It was all he was capable of saying in that moment, but the words held meaning – he would owe Hajime whatever debt the man-beast required for what he had done today.

In silent understanding, Hajime shook his head and looked pointedly at Hermione and Draco. "Shall we establish the terms of the engagement now?" he asked lightly, but there was an undercurrent of nervous excitement. This was his reward – something Teddy could not give him; a sacrifice made by his best friends on his behalf.

As the others adjourned to Lucius' private study to draw up their contract, Teddy had no will to follow, even knowing how selfish he was behaving. All he needed in that moment was to be with his mate, alone. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out his wand and waved it over the door, silencing it and locking it effectively. What he and Tanith – his wife – were going to do needed no audience.

With gentle hands, he led them to the couch to sit, his hand caressing her distended abdomen. "Girl or boy?" he whispered, desperate to know.

"Female," she smiled, and that voice of hers… it made him shiver and melt.

Slytherin's soul, he was going to have a little girl!

He placed a small kiss to her belly in worship, and then looked up into his mate's face, drinking her beauty in again. His fingers caressed her cheek reverently. "I missed you. Gods, Tanith… I _missed_ you."

Rivers of tears poured from her eyes then, brushing against his skin. "I missed you, too. I'm so sorry, my love," she murmured, leaning into his touch. "Tsillah… and my mother…"

"I know," he shushed her gently. "Never again, though. You're mine, and I won't let you go again."

Her tiny, thin, pale fingers touched his cheeks. "He made them all promise never to interfere in our lives without our permission. Not us, not our children, and none of our line – ever. They can't take me away from you again. They can't force themselves on us. He… oh, Teddy, what he traded in return…" She looked so sad. "It is a debt I fear we can never repay. We owe him everything."

Shutting his eyes, Teddy felt sick to his stomach. He'd known it would be a bargain that would be distasteful, but now he felt ill from the guilt. Was what the Kirin wanted – a mate with D and Hermione's daughter – really worth whatever he would have to give to those manipulative bitches?

He looked through the dark fringe of his lashes into Tanith's face, contemplating the life that awaited him with her at his side. She would be there tonight, for instance, when he went to sleep in her arms, and tomorrow morning, he'd wake up and see her face first, and it would color his whole day with happiness. It would be the same the next day, and the one after that, and the one after that... on and on until the end of their days together. He would bind them together soon in her tradition, and then in his, and she would carry his name until her last breath. He would claim her heart and her body as his own as often as they agreed, and give his in the same manner to her, without reservation. They would make a home together, and fill it with laughing children. And at the end, they would regret nothing of the years they would have together – he would assure that, with his blood, his sweat, his hands, and his heart. Tanith was his mateand he was hers. They would be each other's life and light against the creeping darkness of loneliness for always. So, yes, it would be worth _anything_ to have and keep this dream, he thought.

He understood then why the Kirin had done what he had to assure such a future for himself, and he prayed that whatever sacrifice the creature had made to guarantee that he got what he wanted wouldn't be too terribly unpleasant to bear on those broad shoulders of his.

"Teddy…" his mate urged her lips towards his again. "Kiss me. Love me. I need you."

With a tug on his heart, and a smile on his lips, he leaned in. "You don't have to ask twice, love," he smiled, and proceeded to make gentle, careful, sweet love to his bonded mate, mindful of her condition, yet uncaring if the whole world heard her call out his name in pleasure to the heavens above as they found fulfillment - a purpose - in each other's arms.

* * *

_**~FIN - CHAPTER ONE~**_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

_**TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 2 - SCORPIUS & LILY'S STORY...**_

**Tsillah = means "shadow, a shade"**

**Draco (named by the ancient Greeks, meaning 'serpent-dragon') is a real constellation in the sky. Its brightest star is Eltanin, which means 'serpent' in Arabic (I attributed this star to The Malfoy in this series because he was very much like a metaphorical serpent – devious, cruel, cold-blooded). However, Thuban ('the dragon' in Arabic) was once considered the most important star in this constellation by the ancient Egyptians (in fact, several ancient Egyptian structures were constructed to align to this star, as it was the Pole Star around 3,000 BC). I attribute Thuban to Draco in this series because he morphs away from the slithering serpent that was Malfoy and transforms into a true dragon in the end (fierce, loyal, strong of heart). **

**Ursa Minor (meaning 'little bear' - also called the Little Dipper) is a real constellation in the sky. Its brightest star is the "north star" or Pole Star, Polaris. Kochab ('heavenly one' or 'heavenly star') is the second brightest star in this formation. Directly parallel in the sky from this star is Thuban in the constellation Draco (meaning they are aligned, in effect). I attribute Hermione to this star because of its proximity to Thuban, and because it's considered a guardian star to Polaris (which I attribute to Harry). **

**Lyra (meaning 'lyre') is a real constellation in the sky. Sheliak (meaning 'celestial harp') is its second brightest star. Lyra is very close to Cygnus ('the swan') constellation. The two are tied together by Greek mythology regarding Orpheus, who was called a master of music. In myth, Orpheus is always connected to the beauty of his playing the lyre, and when he dies, his lyre is buried with him. The relationship is similar to how I see Tanith and Teddy – they are intertwined making beautiful music together. Sappy, but… there you have it.**

**The Kin-En (the Fukiage Gardens) in Tokyo are part of the Japanese Emperor's private garden section, and is not accessible to the public or the media. For this reason, it makes a perfect location for the keeping of the Kirin in this story, as it assures privacy.**

_**Senpai **_**= Japanese term used for a respected elder who is not related.**

_**Sayonara**_** = Japanese for "goodbye." This is more of the polite or forever type of farewell, something you say to strangers, or to those whose class/work/education/economic level is above yours, or if your family is very formal (like the Malfoys – Draco would never say 'see ya dad!' but 'goodbye, father,' you know?). The more casual "see ya!" in Japanese would be "ja ne!" (said to only close friends and siblings/family members).**

**Musical recommendations for this chapter: **

"**Crashed" by Chris Daughtry (Teddy to Tanith)**

"**I Wanna Be With You" by Mandy Moore (Tanith to Teddy)**


	2. Chapter 2: Destiny's Summit

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

**SUMMARY: Side stories to "When Love and Hate Collide" fanfic. Read that story first to completion before reading these as they contain spoilers for the series.**

**PART TWO – Twenty-three years after Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy's wedding, their eldest son, Scorpius, has a date with the girl of his dreams - Lily Luna Potter. But will the love he bears for this special witch be enough to overcome the power of his Aes Sidhe heritage, or will the sexually-charged power of the _Gancanagh_ rear its ugly head and destroy this one chance at happiness? What happens when love and lust collide? **

**Rating: M+ (NC-17 - consensual graphic sex, language).**

* * *

**WHEN LOVE AND HATE COLLIDE: SIDE STORIES**

**By: RZZMG**

* * *

**_CHAPTER TWO: DESTINY'S SUMMIT (Scorpius & Lily's story)_**

**_The Lake House (The Potter residence), Ottery St. Catchpole, England_**

**_June 21st, 2024 (seconds after the end of "When Love and Hate Collide: Epilogue #2-Ouroborus")_**

X~~~~~~~X

Scorpius Malfoy arrived bang on time in front of The Lake House, adjusted the collar of his shirt, and smoothed his hand down the front to remove wrinkles one more time. Clearing his throat, he stepped up and wrung the bell, trying to quell the snakes rolling around in his guts.

As he waited for his date to answer, he prayed to Slytherin to make tonight a success - because if it went bad, he'd probably just throw himself off the highest building he could find tomorrow.

Being in love was seriously the most nerve-wracking feeling in the universe.

X~~~~~~~X

Lily Luna Potter chalked up a positive mental nod under the "punctual" column in her head at Scor's arrival. At least she knew her date was a believer in making a good first impression.

_No, it's not a date_, she reminded herself to calm her quaking nerves. _We're just… hanging out. No big deal. _Tonight would be no different from the dozens of other times that she and Scorpius had spent time together in the past, she concluded firmly. After all, their families had gotten together for practically every holiday and special event throughout her entire life, so she was used to being around him, and occasionally even talking to him. So, this meeting between them would be no different - just the same old song and dance.

_Except you'll be alone with him, and you're finally an adult, and he's YOUR ULTIMATE CRUSH and you've waited years for a chance to get at him_, she reminded herself wryly.

Lily sighed and tried hard to hide her nervousness as she went to open the front door, running a smoothing hand over her hair and clothes one last time as she reached for the knob.

X~~~~~~~X

When Lily answered the door of her family's modest, two-story home, Scorpius took one look, and his heart caught in his throat.

She was wearing green again.

No, not just any shade of _vert_, however. Her soft, cotton halter top with the sweetheart cleavage (and boy was it ever sweet!) was specifically British racing green. He always thought Lily was captivatingly stunning when she was wearing that particular hue, as it accented her intense, soul-piercing emerald eyes and alluringly highlighted her long, wavy dark auburn and black streaked hair (which had been swept up on the sides and pinned back bewitchingly for tonight's date, he noted). He'd given her a compliment of similar nature at the annual Weasley family reunion summer picnic just last week, and now she was wearing the color he'd praised as being made especially for her.

Squelching down the excitement he felt at the implications of her choice, Scorpius' eyes roamed down quickly to take the whole picture in, noting the pair of black, cotton mid-length shorts, the silver thong sandals, and the opalescent dark purple-green nail polish on Lily's toes that matched her finger nails. Her jewelry, as usual, was flashy but tasteful; she wore an attractive silver and black burnished ear cuff on the left that terminated in a lily-shaped stud that fit into her lobe and a matching stud in her right lobe, a silver and gold entwined bracelet on her left wrist, a thin silver and gold dual anklet on her right foot, and a variety of rings on both hands. Her slightly parted lips titled up in a welcoming smile when she saw it was him; they were painted with a very light pink gloss, which matched her blushing cheeks, giving her a sublime, healthy glow. Her eyes were done up in a smoldering grey and plum, her eyelashes teased.

She was simply breathtaking, and Scorpius had to mentally reign in his natural desires immediately. He quickly tamped down on the surge of blood through his veins before something obvious happened in his pants to embarrass them both.

X~~~~~~~X

"Hello, Scor," she greeted him casually with a relaxed smile, reminding herself to play it unruffled and sensually self-assured, like her favorite Muggle movie-star, Barbara Stanwyck in the classic film, _The Lady Eve_. Scorpius was much older and more sophisticated, after all, and it wouldn't do to appear as some silly schoolgirl with a ridiculous hang-up for him. If she wanted him to see her as different from the dozens of women who threw themselves his way, she had to appear a little aloof and open to playful teasing (he was the kind of man who appeared to like giving chase, and not being the one run to ground).

His gaze flowed over her form as he took her in, pausing slightly on her more obvious attributes, she noted. A lazy, indolent smile swept up the side of his cheek. "Hello, Lily." He smiled, his low, smooth voice making things inside her tummy flip-flop. "You look lovely, as always."

Despite her resolve to appear refined and mature, Lily couldn't help the childish blush that crept up her cheeks at his honeyed, intimate tone. That voice of his stripped her down; it made her feel naked before him. "You… do… too," she lamely complimented, and then mentally slapped herself hard. _Get a grip, Lils!,_ she could just hear her best friend, Étoile Malfoy, saying. _Be cool. _She had to do damage control quickly... "Please, come inside, won't you?" she said in her best Stanwyck impression of the supremely confident woman.

Stepping to the side, she indicated he should come into her home, and Scorpius moved up into the doorway. His head almost brushed the top of the ingress, and because of his bulky, muscled shoulders, he was crowded closer to her than they'd ever dared stand before, filling the narrow entry space of her house completely. He looked down at her from his greater height, and for a moment, Lily felt like a deer frozen by wand light. Merlin, he was _gorgeous_! Storm grey eyes that sliced your heart open, chiseled jaw cradling sensuous lips that begged to be kissed, a small scar here and there that labeled him roguish, straight, dark hair had the slightest curl to the very trailing ends in the back, and his bangs, with that single white-blonde streak that hung into his face dashingly pleading to be fisted and smoothed through. And gads, he was _really _tall, wasn't he? Every time they met she was reminded of the fact that he towered over her by more than a head.

Unconsciously, her eyes wandered his handsomely chosen outfit. The fabric clung to all the right places, showing off his well-muscled upper torso, his tapered waistline, and long, powerful legs. He looked delicious and a tad captivatingly sinister in a midnight black button-up and charcoal grey slacks. She inhaled deeply, and caught a nose full of his French cologne – notes of dark spices and pear assailed her. It was her favorite scent in the whole world, and she'd associated it only with him ever since she was a child. She'd had to stop herself from moving up on tiptoe to press her nose into his neck right then.

Merlin, tonight was going to be harder than she thought!

X~~~~~~~X

Scorpius looked down at Lily, catching the quick flash of desire in her wide, green eyes, and was hard pressed not to lean in and place a kiss on her lips right then. She was already visually tantalizing, and as a result of their proximity, he smelled a new fragrance on her – a light, airy orange blossom and sandalwood – that intoxicated his nose, too.

He stopped himself from swaying into her to inhale more deeply, and stepped past into the foyer as she shut the door behind him. The house was exactly as he remembered it: open, tall ceilings and cozy, with cream-white colored walls with a sky blue trim, and filled with soft, well-used furniture in cheerful, bright fabrics that matched. Fluffy comfort pillows were thrown down on chairs and couches, creating an open invitation to sit down and relax. By contrast, all of the wooden pieces were stained dark chestnut, to match the dark stone floo that abutted the far wall, and were well kept, with lemon-scented, polished surfaces. Against the back wall, the kitchen's dark grey granite countertops sparkled in the sunlight peeking through the far window, illuminating that end of the house with natural ambiance. At the large dining table near the kitchen's island sat James Sirius, Lily's older brother, with his fiancée, Carena MacLaggen. They were going through wedding catalogues and only raised their heads in brief greeting before returning to what was an obvious bickering session over color themes. Family pictures hung from the walls everywhere, moving restlessly in their frames in a variety of poses and locations. A single potted plant sat on a table near the large, front window.

Scorpius tilted his chin towards the bright orange blooms erupting from the plant. "How did you get that Clivia to keep blossoming?" he asked her, sincerely curious. "I thought they only bloomed in May."

X~~~~~~~X

Lily felt her smile creep upwards fully, but this time in amused curiosity. Apparently, her date had more than a passing fancy for plants. Interesting. She hadn't known that about him, despite being a foremost expert on everything Scorpius (she _had_ been stalking him since she was nine and decided, in that very innocently childish way that little girls have, that she was going to marry him someday because he reminded her so much of a fairytale Prince).

"My cousin, Jolene, gave it to us. She's a phanergamologist – a flowering plant specialist. She bred this particular Flame Lily to bloom for two weeks during all four seasons so that it could be harvested for its medicinal properties more frequently." She walked to his side and stared over at the plant in question, feeling as if the diversionary topic at hand could prove to be a good temporary respite from her raging teenage hormones. "Jo actually won the Pomona Sprout Memorial Award for Herbological Excellence last year because of it." She looked up at his greater height. "I didn't know you liked flowers," she admitted with a raised eyebrow.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Grand-mère, my father's mother, is a botanist for the Royal Wizarding's Garden Society. I spent a lot of time with her when I first came to the Manor House as a child. We spent hours caretaking the plants together in her greenhouses, and she taught me all about the various ingredients that could be harvested from them for potions."

Lily nodded, knowing about Narcissa Malfoy's hobby. She just didn't know that Scorpius had actually liked flowers enough to have more than a passing knowledge of them. This was yet another nugget of information to add to the file in her mind – and this time, he'd shared it with her directly.

It was a funny coincidence that just two weeks ago, she'd despaired of this man ever noticing her in _that way_, since he hadn't given her any inclination that he was interested in her all through her school days, despite her best efforts to flirtatiously catch his attention. It was just a few weeks back, in fact, that she'd finally come to the determination that the age difference between them was probably the insurmountable problem and hers would be doomed to be an unrequited love forever. But then at the picnic just last week, something had changed. Scorpius had actively sought her out, spent the entire afternoon at her side walking and talking with her, and showing a clear indication of interest beyond mere friendship, just as she'd always dreamed and hoped… And now, here he was, standing in her modest living room, on a first date with her (_okay, maybe it could be classified as an official event, given how he was dressed_, she conceded), and he was asking her about flowers!

It was totally surreal.

As if he didn't have every witch from twelve years old to one hundred drooling over him. As if he hadn't been one of the most legendary Quidditch players to grace the pro circuit in the history of the game, or hadn't graduated as Valedictorian of his class at Hogwarts and at University both, or wasn't now the current heir to the vast Malfoy fortune _and _the most eligible man in all of the Wizarding world. As if he wasn't the King of the mysterious Aes Sidhe.

She cringed mentally, feeling a sharp ache in her chest at that last thought.

Lily had found out about Scorpius' "other life" quite by accident when his mother, Hermione, had come to speak with Lily's father and mother about him just last year, and Lily had shamelessly eavesdropped (anything having to do with Scorpius _was_ her business, as far as she was been concerned, because she was in love with him). She'd listened in with an Extendable Ear as his mother grieved over the fact that Scorpius had planned to visit with his High Fae relatives, and the woman had been frantic with worry as a result, sure her son would give into his 'heritage' and become just like some evil ancestor called 'The Gaunt' (whoever that was). That's when Lily had overheard Hermione mention that Scorpius was meant to take those fairy bitches as his mistresses, so that he could impregnate them to carry on the critically endangered Sidhe race. She practically died chewing that bit of information over and over in her head ever since.

Looking over at him now, Lily wondered if maybe she _was_ just fooling herself that she could have anything more exciting and wonderful with Scor than friendship. He was so far out of her league, even if she was the daughter of the famous war hero, Harry Potter, and the Quidditch superwoman, Ginny Weasley.

Still, they'd agreed to this get-together tonight, so she'd see it through. After all, this might be her only chance to make a memory with him.

X~~~~~~~X

Scorpius' eyes tracked Lily as she passed him heading towards the kitchen area. Her face had suddenly shut down for no reason, and he wondered what he'd said or did to trigger such a reaction. Had he blown it already? Having had no experience on the dating scene at all – this was his first time – he wasn't sure of the proper etiquette for small talk. Maybe asking about the flowers had been really lame? Hajime would know. His best friend was ultra smooth with the ladies; he'd racked up enough experience with them during their Hogwarts and post-schooling days that Scorpius was rather jealous of the easy, relaxed way he had around them. If only some of that charisma had rubbed off.

"I was in the middle of packing the picnic basket," Lily informed him, turning her head slightly. Like some sort of love sick puppy, Scorpius followed her without thought, watching the sway of her hips as she moved, and noting that the shirt she wore bared her shoulders and much of her upper back to his hot gaze. "Can you grab the blankets for us?" She pointed to the top of the kitchen island's counter, where two soft quilts were neatly folded over.

It occurred to Scorpius that he hadn't brought anything for the picnic, so he mentally conjured one of his father's Romanée Conti wine bottles from their cellar at home into the hand that was hidden under his cloak. A rich, smooth blend of Pinot Noir would compliment just about anything, he knew. As they entered the kitchen area, he came up behind her and passed over the wine bottle.

"Is there room for this?" he asked, his arm brushing against hers 'accidentally.' "Or shall I carry it as well?"

Lily's answering smile made him hard all over again, and he moved his cloak over to cover the evidence. "Oooh, lovely," she trilled and his breath hitched. "The wine glasses are in that cabinet over there, top shelf," she pointed. "Can you carry it all?" He nodded, and she returned her attention to packing up the picnic basket as he grabbed two glasses down, and folded the blankets over his cloak.

When she was ready, they headed out into the backyard and crossed the green open expanse, walking side by side under the ancient oaks. They moved in silence towards a copse of trees near the shore of the small lake that abutted the Potter's property, and Scorpius realized that he should probably say something to make things less awkward between them. "Where's the rest of your family?" he inquired politely.

"Mom and dad are having dinner with the Minister and his wife," she stated excitedly. "There's talk that he's getting ready to step down and announce dad as his successor."

Scorpius hadn't heard that rumor. "Really? That's wonderful. Your father would be the ideal candidate for the position," he stated sincerely.

There was no doubt that Harry Potter was the best man to take over as the Minster of Magic for the aging Kingsley Shacklebolt, as he had ties to both the Muggle and the Wizarding world, had effectively and efficiently led the Auror's office for the last twenty-three years, and had the respect and admiration of most of his colleagues the world around. Even Scorpius' own father admired the man – and that was saying a lot, given their infamous childhood rivalry. Potter was, to put it plainly, the greatest wizard hero of all time. He'd lead the most powerful Wizarding office in the world quite successfully, no doubt.

X~~~~~~~X

Lily blushed. She was inordinately proud of her father. Being the Potter's only daughter, and the youngest of their children, she also shared a special bond with her dad. Their tempers couldn't be more opposite (Lily knew that she was a combination of her dad's contemplative seriousness, but had just a dash of her mum's fiery temper and reckless passion to keep her from being morose or boring), but her powers rivaled both her parents, she modestly had to admit. She and Scorpius' own sister, Star, were on equal footing for being known as the brightest witches of their age. Lily, like Étoile, was definitely daddy's girl, though.

"And Albus?" he prompted, wondering where her middle brother was to be found.

"He's over at the Weasley's, too," she hesitantly answered. "You know he's started courting Ellie, don't you?"

Scorpius stopped, his jaw dropping open. "No, I didn't know that," he admitted tightly.

_Uh oh_, she thought. Talk about bad timing!

She watched him warily, hoping she hadn't just accidentally incited him into taking off to the Weasley's in a fit of brotherly over-protectiveness. It was bad enough Étoile had invited Hajime there already (according to her owl'd message earlier this afternoon).

X~~~~~~~X

Scorpius was floored at Lily's pronouncement. Of all his siblings, Eleanor was the one that "didn't fit" in the Malfoy puzzle. She was the square peg in the board full of round holes. While he and his younger brother Tarquin (charismatic, rabble-rouser, womanizing 'Quin) had both been sorted into Slytherin House, and Star had gone predictably to Gryffindor, Ellie had ended up in Ravenclaw. She was very much like their mother had been at that age - studious, focused, and less concerned with her appearance and with style than with her studies (despite being rather attractive under those rectangular glasses she wore). She wasn't athletic, however, unlike the other Malfoy children, preferring a quiet library to the cacophony of the Quidditch pitch. Ellie may have been a brilliant witch as a result of her diligence, and she may have graduated from Hogwarts as valedictorian of her class (having achieved "O" in all of her O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s – a feat even he and their mother hadn't accomplished), but the fact was, she was socially-challenged. She certainly hadn't won any popularity contests while in school. Part of that was because she had, unfortunately, inherited their father's severity, moodiness and sarcastic wit. In short, Ellie wasn't overtly charming or openly friendly, but private and generally mistrusting. She didn't laugh genuinely very often, had a very low tolerance level for stupidity and immaturity, and she spent most of her time working on inventing new spells and ignoring boys all together. That's why Scorpius found it rather peculiar for shy, sweet tempered, good natured Albus Severus Potter to take an interest in someone like his sister - they were complete opposites. Perhaps, though, that is what drew Albus to Ellie.

Scorpius made a mental note to check out their birth information and divine what the stars had established for Albus and Ellie later. She may have been an unbearable shrew at times, but Ellie was still his sister, and he wanted her protected from potential harm and heartbreak, if at all possible.

"I'm sorry if I was the bearer of bad news," Lily knocked him out of his introspective thoughts with her observation.

He shook his head and gave her a small smile. "You could never do anything 'bad' to me Lily."

When she threw him a smoldering, challenging look, Scorpius almost dropped the wine bottle in surprise. "I see," was all she said coyly, but her lips were twitching with mischief.

Wait… what did _that_ mean?

He felt his heart skip a beat.

X~~~~~~~X

Lily couldn't believe her date given her the perfect opening like that! That was a classic Stanwyck textbook opportunity for flirting. Of course, she hadn't realized what had come out of her mouth until after it passed her lips, but then, like her mother, she tended to dare the dangerous on occasion.

And there was definitely an element of danger to Scorpius Malfoy, hidden under that mysterious, sexy smile and in his cautious, secret gaze. On the outside, to the casual eye, he appeared polite, well-mannered, and charming, but under his skin, she knew from her years of observation, he had a raw, reckless side lurking, just dying to be let out. It was there in the occasional dark moods that fell upon his features and in the hard frown that graced his luscious lips when he thought no one was watching. His shadows were part of the allure that drew her to him, she had to admit.

Perhaps tonight she would finally dare to provoke that hunger…

X~~~~~~~X

"We're here," she said and stopped suddenly, throwing him off guard entirely. Scorpius took a look around and realized with an internal curse that he hadn't been at all aware of their surroundings, just following Lily blindly. She'd led them to the underside of a weeping willow on the bank of the lake. Pendulous branches swept down towards the ground, creating a private, green curtain for their rendezvous. The house was further up the slope, hidden behind by the brush of the forest; they would be completely secreted away with no chance for anyone to see anything unless they approached from the water side. He swallowed, wondering if she'd chosen this spot intentionally or not. He may be inexperienced physically, but Scorpius was not naïve; that look Lily had just given him had spoken volumes.

He set the wine bottle and glasses on the grass and spread the blankets out, overlapping them to create a cushioned softness to sit on. Lily slipped her sandals off and knelt in the center of the quilts with the basket. Scorpius kicked his shoes and socks to the side and joined her with the wine and glasses. As she dug into the basket, he opened the bottle with an easy magical thought and proceeded to pour, and set the bottle aside with a spell to keep it upright.

She'd packed a pre-sliced Italian salami stick, a variety of cheeses, and fresh baked mini rolls. She laid these items out on a ceramic plate between them. She then brought out three containers with lids. The first contained black and green olives, the second tomato and cucumber slices, and the third mini cheese, mushroom and spinach quiches. She laid them out around the plate with their lids removed. Dipping into the basket again, she pulled out three more containers which housed a variety of red, black and green grapes, sliced apples, and chocolate dipped strawberries. Scorpius was impressed; she'd obviously gone through a lot of work for tonight. She produced napkins and forks for them both, as well as a knife for the cheese.

He handed her glass of wine over to her in exchange for the napkin, and waited for her to signal that everything was ready. When she picked up a roll, Scorpius took his cue and followed suit. He sat back and ate leisurely, watching her as she chewed and swallowed, loving the movements of her mouth and throat.

"So, when are James and Carena getting married" he asked, trying to break the silence with a topic that was 'safe' – specifically, one that didn't delve into personal secrets right off the bat.

Lily nodded and sniffed in amusement. "Next April, if they make it to that point without killing each other, that is." She shook her head. "My big brother and his bride-to-be fight about every little detail of the wedding. She wants traditional invitations, he wants modern. She wants an indoor event, he wants it outdoor. Yadda, yadda. It's rather annoying, honestly."

Scorpius snickered. "If they're so opposite, then why are they marrying at all?"

Lily rolled her eyes, finishing her bite of salami and cheese. "Because they're hot for each other. Everyone knows they fight just for the make-up sex."

He barked a laugh. "There must be more to it than that," he stated, tossing back a mini quiche in one bite. "Sex alone doesn't make you want to commit to someone forever. There has to be a spark between souls."

She examined him for a moment in obvious shock. "And you know this how?"

Scorpius shrugged nonchalantly, and took a sip of his wine, not answering. Apparently, his initial query wasn't as 'safe' as he'd hoped, as it had led to one of those uncomfortable questions. He went with the Slytherin motto at that point: when cornered by a question you have no intention of answering, be completely noncommittal and keep your mouth shut.

X~~~~~~~X

He was pulling a Slytherin on her. The way his face just closed up was very telling. With a tightening in her chest, Lily realized that Scorpius' sexual experience must be as vast as she'd suspected all along - enough for him to know what made a relationship stick and what didn't, at least.

Unconsciously, her eyes roamed down his arm and locked on to his wine glass, noticing once more how beautiful and strong the hand that cupped the shimmering, delicate surface really was. How many lovers had he touched with that hand since he became sexually aware, she wondered for the umpteenth time? How many pairs of breasts had he fondled and were they prettier than her set of 'twins'? How many women had he brought to climax with his fingers alone?

She shut her eyes and sipped at her wine, trying to quiet her rioting misgivings. But the truth continued to eat at her like a virus plaguing her system.

There was no denying the gaping chasm that existed between her and this beautiful man sitting across from her in terms of life experience. Scorpius was… well, he was just _fabulous_ and a _real_ man, not like the guys she went to school with, who wouldn't know how to be romantic with anything aside from their own sweaty palms. At ten years her senior, his level of 'seasoning' clearly outstripped her juvenile, high school trysts. How many shielas had he had so far – ten? twenty? thirty? more? Being how wonderful he was, women probably threw themselves at him. He probably had a closet full of trophy knickers, she bitterly thought. His bedposts were probably notched up to the point where they'd need a good sanding and a new stain job.

And in the meantime, she was still a virgin.

Oh, sure, she'd gone pretty far with Jeremy Longbottom this last year, getting all the way to 'third base' with him before calling it quits. But it had only been experimentation for both of them, which is why they'd parted before it went too far, mutually agreeing that they wanted to avoid emotional entanglements. Now, though, she sort-of wished she and Jer had done it. At least then she wouldn't be a blushing, inept cherry girl.

Gods, how could she even think to tempt him in the slightest in comparison to some of the beauties who had surely visited his bed over the years?

_Get it together_, she could hear a fantasy Étoile's phantom voice in her ear berating her. _Don't dwell on what you can't change!_

Bucking her Gryffindor courage, Lily forced her dark musings from her mind and focused on her date. No matter their pasts, Scorpius was here with her now. She'd do her best to make this night memorable.

X~~~~~~~X

They ate in silence for another minute before Lily, who was clearly made awkward by his lack of participation in the previous conversation, struck up a new topic. "So… um… what are you doing now, career-wise?" she asked as tactfully as possible, taking a sip from her wine. "You retired from Quidditch almost two years ago, right?"

He gave her a smirk. "And how would you know that?" he teased. "Keeping tabs on me?" He was hoping to loosen them both up with a bit of joking banter.

Lily chuckled, playing along. "You're only the most famous Seeker in Slytherin's history," she replied. "Everything you did while on team was newsworthy – including your retirement from the professional league. Plus, you're a Malfoy. You family is famous." She sipped the wine again, looking down into the glass instead of him. "And, I keep up on Quidditch. It's in my blood, remember?"

He _did_ remember. Lily had been a Gryffindor Chaser for the last two years, and she hailed from one of the most famous Hogwarts Quidditch families. He'd watched her play this last season in secret, in fact, attending her weekend games while cloaked in magic to hide his presence. He would never tell her that he'd clapped and cheered her on with every goal she'd made, or that he was impressed with her speed, and wondered why she hadn't tried for the position of Seeker as her brothers both had.

He chose to answer her first question. "Since I retired, I've spent time helping my grand-père and my father run the Malfoy business empire. I do the accounting work, and that frees the two of them up to take care of the negotiations and politicking. Frankly, they're better at that sort of thing than I am anyway, so it works out all around."

Lily made a face in distaste. "Sounds boring."

He shrugged again. "My family has acquired a share in Gringotts, and it's a lot of work to keep the goblins from taking advantage. With grand-père's advancing age, dad's had to take on more of the responsibilities. I suppose he could always hire outside help, but I'm pretty good with numbers and we work well together."

She reached into one of the containers. "I guess that means I'll be working for your family, then," she commented, plopping a black olive into her mouth.

Scorpius' hand froze as he reached for a cucumber slice. "You're going to work at Gringotts?"

She nodded. "As a Curse Breaker. I'm taking over for Bill Weasley when he retires. He's apprenticing me starting this September while I finish up school. I'll be taking his slot next June, after graduation."

Scorpius felt his guts drop. Curse Breaking was _very_ dangerous work, as old curses, jinxes and hexes – many of which had fallen so out of use over the centuries that that were completely unknown to modernity - were often employed on ancient tombs and artifacts. Also, Breakers were out in the world for weeks and months at a time, seldom coming home except when the work dried up. Given the number of still unexplored caverns, oases, necropoles, barrows, tombs, and tunnels there were in the world, Scorpius knew that Lily would be plenty busy for most of her career life. "I… see," he said, feeling a sense of disappointment so great that he was disheartened with the idea of now even trying to court Lily. What would be the point if she intended on leaving him behind in the end?

He sipped his wine, staring out at the lake, considering what he wanted to do next, given the bomb that had just dropped in his lap unexpectedly. He could feel her eyes on him, knew she was measuring him up.

"You know, Cuthbert Mockridge's son, Peter, is retiring at the same time as Bill, and he's still looking for an apprentice Curse Breaker," she intimated softly.

Scorpius looked over at her, but she was now looking out over the lake as well, her eyes narrowed in thought. Was she serious? Even if he could abandon his family to go chasing half the way around the world for Gringotts, he and Lily would then become colleagues, working together closely. The goblins were very strict about pussy-footing around between co-workers, especially on company time.

Still, he had to admire her forwardness and her tenacity. The suggestion certainly appealed to his wilder nature – the one that dreaded administrative work and wanted a life of excitement. He'd consider the offer definitely, and speak with his father about it later.

He smirked playfully at her again. "Are you sure they sorted you into the right house? That was a very Slytherin tactic you just employed."

He saw her blush creep up her cheeks and chuckled, which made her blush even deeper. She sipped at her wine again, then turned back to face him, her green eyes serious and a bit defiant. "Will you at least consider it?"

He chewed on a tomato wedge. "Why?"

Lily reached for a small slice of cheese and bit it in half, chewing then swallowing. "Why not? I thought you liked adventure."

He raised an eyebrow at her assumption. "And what makes you say that?"

She finished the bite of salami and bread in her mouth before answering. "Ever since I can remember… whenever our families got together and we've spent time talking… you've always seemed as if you're fighting that part of your nature, suppressing it." She locked eyes with him. "But I can sense that you want to let it free. Your eyes scream it."

Scorpius held onto her gaze for a second longer than he probably should have before looking down into his wine glass and giving into the temptation of taking a long gulp. "Do they really?" he asked softly. "I always thought I had better control than that." He took another big gulp, and turned to pour himself another glass as he'd almost hit the bottom of the first, his mind a riot of emotions just then.

Lily shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe to someone else who'd spent less time watching you."

He froze in mid-pour, and his hand around the stem of his glass trembled. It was only for a second, but it was enough of a reaction that he knew she'd seen how she'd affected him with her words. He put the wine bottle aside, having only given himself enough for a few sips.

"You should be more careful what you say," he warned gently, feeling his heart beginning to pound, his control slipping incrementally. "Words are powerful, Lily."

X~~~~~~~X

The air between them changed in a heartbeat. Lily felt it like a torrid breeze against her skin. Her nipples tightened in response and she shifted her position casually to try to ease the sudden, pulsing ache between her legs. As quickly as it came on, it went away, however, and the mood shifted back into sullen awkwardness.

Wow. That had been… unexpected. What was that?

She chanced a gander down at the rings on her fingers; nothing sparked, although two of her rings did glow a bit brighter inside the gems. Ah, so Scorpius _had_ used magic, although clearly, it had been unintentional. Interesting. She wondered if what he'd just thrown around them had anything to do with his Aes Sidhe side.

X~~~~~~~X

He'd leaked power on her. Scorpius could see it in the way her body reacted – the subtle shifting to protect herself. It made him flush hot and cold all over.

Regaining control with stiff mental discipline, there was an uncomfortable silence between them for half a minute, and then Lily reached out and picked up some apple slices and began chewing on them. Dear gods above, the soft crunch as her perfectly straight, white teeth bit down on the pulpy flesh of the fruit stirred up Scorpius' lust more fiercely than her words had. He grit his teeth to keep himself reigned in tightly, to keep from scaring her half to death, and knocked back the little bit of wine he'd managed to pour into his glass, his mouth parched from the effort.

Glancing back at her profile, he found himself hard-pressed to stay seated, his whole body tingling to be set free.

_Why are you fighting this so hard?,_ a little voice in his head whispered seductively. _She's been flirting with you all evening. _

Putting his glass down by the bottle, he reached for and chewed on some grapes as he watched her, no longer trying to shyly keep his gaze from giving him away. He may not want to frighten her, but he definitely wanted her, and all this energy to hold back was beginning to get old. More importantly, he was starting to entertain the idea that he _could_ actually have her right then and there if he wanted. All he'd have to do was drop his shields and she'd beg him to fuck her. Her body would be more than willing...

He knew that was the _Gancanagh_ side of himself talking so arrogantly, but at that moment, the lines were blurring.

But was that what Lily truly wanted? He knew she had a bit of the saucy tease in her (he'd seen her employ it on that poor Longbottom kid more than once this year), but innuendo and allusions weren't the same as saying something straight up. Besides, taking her in such a fashion would be tantamount to rape; no one could resist the influence of the _Gancanagh_, as it stripped away a person's free will, leaving behind only a compelling sexual thirst and a burning need for satiation.

No, he had to reestablish his control. It would be wrong to force himself on Lily by using his magical talents. He wanted her more than anything in the world, but only if she came to him with her own mind set on that course of action, without being swayed by his animal instincts. It was time to force himself back on-track.

They were on their first date. He wanted a second one to follow this… and that would only happen if he relaxed and focused on what dating was all about: getting to know the other person better by talking to them, learning who the individual behind their face really was. _Pick a safe topic_, he thought to himself, and looked at her hands. He spoke before he even knew he'd wanted to.

"Why do you wear so much jewelry? You're pretty without it."

X~~~~~~~X

Lily jerked back, pausing in mid chew to look him in the eye briefly. Then, she finished her mouthful and held out her hands. "I'm a Jocale Witch," she admitted hesitantly, as if confessing a deep, dark secret.

Scorpius sat up straight, clearly amazed. "You handcraft and enchant jewelry? But that's a lost art. No wonder Gringotts wants you so bad. Who taught you?"

She looked at him pointedly. "Aunt Tanith."

X~~~~~~~X

Those two words spoke tomes. From the look in her eye, Lily knew what Tanith was. Had their adopted "aunt" spilled the beans on his heritage, too? He'd prudently, assiduously done his best to keep all knowledge of his history away from Lily, not wanting her to know of his predestined path as King of the Aes Sidhe, fearing such knowledge would warn her off before he had a chance to explain it to her.

His mouth was as dry as a bleached bone yard when he replied. "So, you made those pieces you're wearing? That's fascinating." He felt shaky inside, unsure of how much he could say, what he _dared _say.

Lily nodded. "They all do something." She pointed to her gold and silver entwined band on her arm and the anklet of the same materials. "These conduct magical energies and redirect any hex and curse spells cast at me to ground, but only if I happen to be touching a metal surface when I'm hit." She pointed to her earrings. "These are focus conductors for my own spells that I cast to buff myself. They allow the spell to be more powerful than what I could normally pull off." She held up her right hand, and grabbed her thumb ring. It was a solid band carved with ancient runes with tiny, round amethysts set all around its surface. "This ring is specifically tuned to aid healing magic." On her right index finger was a large yellow citrine set in gold. "This transmutes negative offensive magic into positive defensive magic when cast on me. All except the Unforgivables, which none of these things will work on, unfortunately." On her right ring finger was a ruby set in gold. "Alerts me of… certain types of 'influence' charms cast on me." She moved to her left hand, and ticked off her left middle finger next – a fire opal set in silver. "For inner clarity." On her left pinky was a bluish Topaz set in silver. "Creates a calming effect, so I can concentrate on spell casting."

Scorpius was simply in awe of her skill. The rings had been forged well, the stones cut diligently and he could sense the magic in them when he concentrated; solid spells, the lot. "It must have taken years to make those pieces," he remarked.

Lily drew her hands back and shrugged. "Aunt Tanith helped, so not too long. I started at twelve. The bracelet was my first piece." She twined the bangle around her wrist, touching it fondly. "There are a lot of flaws, but it works, and I like it too much to replace it at this point."

He shook his head, truly amazed. Lily was a rare gem, herself. A Jocale Witch was the rarest of talents in the world, a dead art that was relegated to legends in books.

"Is there anything that you can do special?" she asked him pointedly, and once more, he felt a sense of anxiety creep over him. How much did she know? He'd have to very tentatively test the waters.

"The same as any other witch or wizard trained at Hogwarts," he hedged. "I'm rather good at non-verbal and wandless spells." That, at least, was true. She just didn't need to know _how good_, specifically, so there was no direct lie in what he'd just said.

She stared at him as if expecting more, but when it didn't come, she finished off her drink. "May I have a little more?" she asked, holding out her glass to him. As they passed it between them, their fingers touched and Scorpius' gut clenched. They both froze, locked in that moment of awareness of each other, and then she released her hold on the stem… but not before stroking his finger once with hers.

His tight control tumbled away for a moment, and he felt the lust in him crawl its way forward, leak through his eyes. He saw her gaze widen in response, as if she was just now catching on to how serious this game was that she was playing, and her breathing hitched.

X~~~~~~~X

Holy cannoli, what was that?

Heart jack hammering behind her ribs, Lily quickly turned aside her gaze, and reached for another apple slice, devouring it for distraction, feeling her hands slightly shaking. The ruby on her right hand was definitely glowing now. There was no question that this must be the power of his Fae heritage coming out; there was no other explanation. Simply touching Scorpius shouldn't have set him off. Heck she'd touched other men before, but never had she received such a reaction. Her date had looked at her like… well, like some sort of predator gauging its prey, only not to devour so much as to claim, to possess. It was the darkest, most enthralling look she'd ever seen from a man or woman in her entire life.

At that moment, Lily was honestly a little scared that maybe she'd gotten in over her head this time. Her beau was so obviously in the big leagues - and she was still clearly in the minors.

But then, this was Scorpius, and she had known him since the day of her birth (although her first memory of him was at the age of three, hiding behind his legs from his mother's pug-faced Kneazle). Her life-long friend wouldn't hurt her. She just _knew_ he wouldn't. It was a faith was based on the same belief as her magic; there was no hesitation or doubt. Lily knew with a certainty that she could trust Scor with her life and with that understanding came clarity and relief.

But it was definitely time for some answers. Her date had hidden long enough from her, and after what had just happened, by Merlin he was going to start talking the truth!

X~~~~~~~X

Watching the fear creep into Lily's eyes and how it set itself in her rigid, tense posture, Scorpius shut his eyes tightly and tamped down the monster inside.

More wine. That's what she had asked for, right?

With a trembling hand, he poured her glass to mid-level and then handed it back over without looking at her, pretending to settle the bottle back down instead. He felt her take it from him, careful not to let her hands touch his this time. When he finally regained enough dominion over his desire again, he looked back at her. She was watching him with curiosity, not the wariness she should have.

"Is it true, then?" she asked him bluntly.

"Is what true?" he asked, unsure as to what she might be referring to.

She gulped more than half her glass of wine in one chug, apparently for courage. "Are you really King of the High Fae?"

_Shit._

He sighed heavily, running his hands through his long bangs in frustration. "Yes."

_Bloody, bloody hell!_

Everything was spiraling down towards one hell of a bad crash, and he knew it, as her next question was obvious. He waited for it, his pulse slamming through his veins.

"And you're meant to… mate… with all those women, to save the race?"

_Fuck me royal._

He shook his head adamantly, needing to explain before things spiraled out of control. "I'm not going to," he firmly replied. "I've already told them I have no intention of being their breeding stud."

"Why not?"

The question threw him for a loop. "Why not?" he demanded, angry now. How could she be so dense? "I think the answer should be obvious, Lily."

She stared at him boldly now, not looking away. "Is it? Explain it to me."

He shut his mouth, afraid he'd say something that would really screw everything up. The last thing she needed to hear was that he'd probably like fucking so many different women that he'd willingly lose himself to the sex completely. Or that she was the reason why he'd denied the Sidhe to begin with.

"So, does that happen to you often?" she asked around more sipping from her glass.

He attempted to gather his defenses, to hide behind the indifferent mask he'd perfected over the years. "What are you talking about?"

She said nothing for a bit, and he could still feel her gaze on him. "Don't be daft, Scor," she finally sighed, "You know what I mean. What just happened… between us… the touch, the look."

He wondered if the alcohol was responsible for the brash courage she was now displaying. He absently wondered if the alcohol was affecting him as well, because he was starting to give into the devil whispering in his ear. "Do you _really_ want to know?" he asked daringly, a part of him wanting her to keep on this line of questioning, hoping it would lead to where he truly wanted it to go with her.

"Yes," she answered resolutely. "I really want to know."

He nodded, staring out over the lake, fighting back the compulsion to throw her down and shag her right there. This talk was a long time in coming, and since the floodgate had already been opened, he now had no choice but to lay his cards down and pray for a good response from her. "It happens," he admitted, "but only when I'm with you."

She was quiet for many minutes, and he focused on the sound of the water lapping against the bank, and on the chirping of the Golden Orioles, the House Martins, and the Nightingales.

"Why me?"

Scorpius shrugged. "It's been this way since I first laid eyes on you in your crib. Your soul sparked for me. I'm not sure why. It's why I've been watching you all these years, waiting for you to come of age - so we could… explore the reason."

X~~~~~~~X

Only with her? Lily was thoroughly confused now. What did that mean, she 'sparked' for him? Surely he'd shared such things with the other women he'd brought to his bed over the years? What was he saying, that she was different from them? Maybe, even… dare she hope?... _special_?

He wanted to 'explore' did he? Well, she bloody well wanted to as well!

It was now or never.

With her lioness' bravado clenched firmly between her teeth, Lily made her move.

X~~~~~~~X

She was quiet again, but this time, Scorpius heard her packing things up, and he internally sighed. He'd blown it. Between his heritage, his uncontrollable urges, and his stalker-like confession, he'd frightened her off. He felt miserably inept, disappointed in both of them, and sad that this chance had finally come and was now gone for them all in the space of a few minutes. "I'm sorry," he confessed, turning to her. "I didn't mean to scare you. I…" He struggled for the right words, but his brain was clogged with self-recriminations.

"Don't be sorry, Scorpius," she muttered, finishing up the packing and pushing the basket aside. "Just don't." She downed the last of her wine, set her glass aside, and unexpectedly crawled closer to him on her hands and knees.

Wait… what was she doing?

He held his breath, watching her, unable to decipher the look in her eyes just then.

She stopped when they were mere centimeters away and stared him down hard. "I know what you are and what you can do," she confessed fully. "I heard your mother talking to my parents about it when they thought I wasn't around. You're the personification of lust, right?" Scorpius closed his eyes in shame and nodded. He opened them only when he felt her apple-scented breath caress his lips and cheek on a deep exhale; mesmerizing jade pierced straight into his heart. "Then I want to know: how careful have you _really_ been with me?" she asked boldly.

He blinked very slowly, feeling the lust roaring up inside once more. He let her see this time, let her understand the weight of what she was asking him. "Very, _very_ careful, Lily," he replied in a low voice, feeling his restraint hanging by a thread as she hovered so close. His eyes were drawn to her pink pearl lips. They were right there for the taking. "And I really don't want to be anymore," he admitted in a near whisper.

She pursed that pretty mouth for a second, licked it unconsciously and then said the four words he'd desperately hoped to hear from her.

"Then kiss me already."

He looked up into her emerald gaze one last time, making sure she meant what she'd just said, and when he saw the desire and determination in her, he let go of a portion of his control, reached up both hands to cup her cheeks, and then lowered his mouth onto hers fiercely. He'd never kissed a woman before, but the instincts for seduction were there, buried deep within his heart and mind. He opened the doorway to the powers of the _Gancanagh_ and allowed its ancient knowledge to guide him correctly.

At their first contact, they both moaned, and she opened up right away for him. Empowered by instinct, he moved over her mouth expertly, teasing her, enthralling her. His tongue swept into her, stroking against hers languidly, coaxing her to kiss him back, and when she did, the kiss blossomed. He gathered her into his arms, sitting up on his knees, and plunged one hand into her long, wavy hair, while the other hand encircled her waist, drawing her body intimately up against his. He felt her arms come around his shoulders as she threw herself into this embrace willingly.

He kissed her for long minutes, savoring the flavor of fruit and wine on her breath, loving the sensation of her teeth scraping across his bottom lip, and running his hand through the soft strands of her two toned hair. The sudden explosion of rich, dark spices passed from his tongue to hers; it was a hormone his body secreted to chemically enthrall his partner at the same time as his magic coaxed hers into opening up and submitting to his dominance. It tasted like cardamom and cinnamon and blood orange rolled up in velvet heat and sensual musk and he shoved it into her over and over again. Lily gasped against his lips as he addicted her to the succulent flavor, and Scorpius felt a powerful, jolting shiver pass through her spine, knowing he had succeeded in intoxicating her to his scent and taste. Her hips pressed flush against his, and there was no hiding his erection as she began rubbing against it, caught up in the throbbing, undeniable desire he wove about them.

He ravaged her lips, his hands roamed her back, and then came around the front and slid up her abdomen to cup her breasts through her shirt. She moaned loudly and strained against him, and with his heightened Sidhe senses, he could actually smell her luscious, juicy arousal through her clothes. He knew if he were to touch her lower lips, he would find her moist and wet, her body more than ready for him. The thought drove him near to mad. Tearing his mouth from hers, he grabbed her hair and tilted her head back, placing wet kisses and nips on her long, white throat. She gasped as he sucked on her pulse point, leaving behind a purpling, bruising love bite to mark her as his. He trailed hot breath up towards her ear, licking and sucking on her lobe. Her whimpering, pleading moans coupled with her grinding pelvis against his almost made him cum in his pants right then.

Too fast. They were moving too damned fast! He was on the verge of losing all restraint. He didn't want to hurt her!

Scorpius pulled back so they could both catch their breaths, his hands moving to her hips to pry her away, leaning his forehead to hers. "Lily…" He groaned as she moved against his captivity, struggling to return to her previous, pleasurable endeavor. His heart was hammering loudly in his ears, and he was panting with need. He needed to get her attention. This was too important to fuck up now. "_Lily…_"

Sanity returned with the enforced break; he watched the blaze of lust dim in her shining orbs as the girl he loved blinked away his magic, even as he pulled it back, chaining it behind his iron will. "Oh, Merlin!" she moaned, shaking. "Why did you stop?"

Moment of truth. "Because I'm charming you with what I am. This… thing inside me. It's bewitching you."

She was quiet for a bit, then pushed back and looked at the rings on her hands. The ruby was spitting small red sparks, and the opal literally glowed. She looked up at him through her black lashes questioningly. "Yes, apparently so," she murmured. "But it seems I'm okay with that. I even like it."

Scorpius blew the bangs out of his eyes, frustrated and desperate. "Lily, if we don't quit now, I won't be able to," he informed her softly, giving her a choice, biting back on the_ Gancanagh_'s demanding impulse to strip her options away from her entirely and just take what was his. "I need to know that you want this; that you want _me_. Do you want me to stop?"

X~~~~~~~X

Wanting him didn't even cover it. These feelings inside Lily – not just the lust, but the love underneath that she had felt for Scorpius her whole life - were threatening to rip through her skin. She needed him to know, to understand, to hear her confession…

Without hesitation, her strong hands grip him tightly. "Don't stop," she demanded huskily. "I _want_ you, Scor. Every inch."

X~~~~~~~X

His heart in his throat, he offered up one last chance. "You need to be sure, Lily. If we keep going I'm _going_ to take you right here, and I'm not sure how gentle I can be. I've wanted this for too long, and what I am… it wants you too much. If you're not ready for us to make love, you need to tell me now."

His beautiful, wild girl pulled her head back, looking him square in the eye and spoke clearly and honestly in true Gryffindor style. "I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember, Scorpius. So shut up and give me this, before I lose you to someone else."

Heart clenching in relief, Scorpius' soul cried out in joy - _Lily loved him!_

The lust inside surged forward in renewed desire, but now Scorpius was no longer afraid of it, knew that he could control it because he was finally strong enough. As long as Lily loved him, he knew he could do anything. He let his mental and magical shields drop completely, let the _Gancanagh_ take over for the first time in his life, and his lover whimpered as she felt its full effects pressing upon her mind and body. Scorpius captured her cheeks again with his hands, and titled her head up, hovering his lips over hers. "We're going to take your clothes off," he sensually purred against her mouth, feeling his darker, hungrier side slide to the forefront, dominating his normally placid temper. Reaching out magical tendrils, he stroked her aura, sending sparks spitting from her rings, causing a build-up of pressure in the air. "And you're going to let it happen, aren't you, Lily?"

She nodded, fully entranced by him now, her breath hitching in her chest. "Ye… yes, Scor."

His right hand roamed between them to cup and knead her left breast. She wasn't wearing a bra. Slytherin's soul that was sexy! "You're going to let me touch you and lick you anywhere I want - isn't that right, sweetheart?" he growled lustily, punctuating the demand by rolling her nipple through the fabric of her shirt.

Gasping and whimpering at the sensations of his hand, Lily nodded eagerly. "Yes," she hissed, elongating the word on a winded exhale of air.

He stroked her lips with his tongue, teasing her to open for him again, dipping in, and giving her just a small taste of that spice to entice her once more. "I'm going to make love to you over and over again, right here. I'm going to come in you so deep, so many times tonight, and you're going to tell me you love me every time you climax," he bid, running his lips over hers lightly, teasing again. "Won't you, Lily?"

"Yes, Scorpius," she breathed heavily, her hands roaming restlessly over his chest, biceps, shoulders and neck. "Anything you want."

He could feel the magic pouring off of him, thundering between them, and her rings only augmented his nature, making the closed circle between them one of intense pleasure. They shared the enchantment, heightening it with little touches and kisses.

It was then that Scorpius realized that this wasn't just Lily's seduction - it was his, too. With her gentle, loving submission, his sweet was taming the _Gancanagh_'s need to sate its lust immediately, teaching it patience and consideration, and it was _bloody fantastic _to feel that side of him know that it had met its tempering.

Untying her halter and slipping it down without hindrance, Lily's breasts were finally bared to him for the first time and Scorpius was rendered speechless at the sight of the perfect globes with their rosy, fully erect nipples. He thumbed them both, and watched her through half-lidded eyes as she jerked and arched against him at the exquisite feeling he wove about her. "Lie back," he commanded, and she fell onto the quilt blindly, trusting in his guidance. He followed her, and grabbed at her left breast with his mouth just before her head touched down on the soft fabric. He suckled, lathed and nipped her, finding just the right pressure that she liked by experimenting. Then, he turned his attention to her right breast, and empowered with what he had just learned, he exploited her senses by ravishing her other side thoroughly.

This moment was what he'd always dreamed it would be – Lily's fingers sliding through his hair, gripping it tightly as he ravished her with his mouth, her having expressed her love for him and willing to give him everything. _I love you, _he thought over and over as his lips trailed wetly across her skin, hoping she could hear his voice in her mind.

X~~~~~~~X

_I love you_, she thought as Scorpius made poignant love to her with his mouth. He was so gentle, despite the ravenous hunger that she felt pounding against her aura. This all felt so right. Somehow, she'd known it would be this wonderful with him.

If only she could keep him forever. He'd said he wouldn't take his place as King of the Fae, but the truth was, how could he not? The race was dying, they needed the infusion of his seed to rejuvenate them. Eventually, he'd have to sleep with those creatures... and Lily would have to let him. It would kill something inside her, though, which is why she knew that tonight was all they could have together. She couldn't stick around as he became someone else's lover, much less several someone elses.

A pulsation of lust was shoved into her again as Scor's hand came to rest right over her heart, palming her left breast, and Lily nearly wept with the pleasure.

Tonight she would have him all the way. Tonight, at least, he was all hers.

X~~~~~~~X

From the onslaught of sensation he continually fed into her magically, Lily moaned helplessly and her legs finally fell apart. Scorpius effortlessly moved into the space in between, nudging a knee against her mound to apply pressure. With that, the last of her uncertainty melted away; Lily became positively wanton in his arms, giving in with ardor and passion, rubbing against his leg with jerking, animal movements of her hips. He felt his solid member twitch painfully in response, but forced himself to do as he'd promised before taking his own pleasure from her. In the end, he would make her scream his name so the whole world would know who she belonged to.

His left hand popped the button on her shorts, undid the zipper and then he yanked at the waist. "Take these off," he willed. "Take everything off, Lily. I want you naked under me."

With his help, she stripped off the remnants of her shirt, slinging it over her head and tossing it away without care. Then, they removed her shorts and he had a fleeting look at the black satin panties she wore before tugging them down. Without embarrassment, she opened her long, slim legs wide for him, and suddenly he was staring directly into her glistening, wet core. Her labia was the same rose-red color as her nipples. The tiny opening near the bottom beckoned for him to touch it, and he couldn't resist, running his right hand over it with the barest hint of contact. Her body wrenched forward in response, and she began shaking in earnest need.

Compelled by a thought, he pressed his face into the juncture between her thighs and kissed her, inhaled her musky scent, and then stroked his tongue up the length of her entire slit and back down again. She cried out and grabbed his head to pull him in closer, so he repeated the action again and again. In a few short minutes of exploration, he discovered that the tiny nub of flesh at the top loved to be stroked in circles and gently suckled, but not bit. He ran his lips all down her center, partially still amazed that he was doing _this_ with the woman he loved, and dipped into her opening, tonguing it gently. She tasted so good, a little salty, but fresh and clean. His heightened Sidhe senses knew by her scent that she was a virgin and that she was also ovulating, and those two things made the _Gancanagh_ inside roar, seeking to overtake him. It wanted nothing more than to fuck her hard and impregnate her immediately, but Scorpius held the beast back easily, knowing he didn't want to hurt Lily in such a way. He wanted this to be hot, wet and wonderful for them both, and something she wouldn't regret later.

"Let me touch you, too," she begged, drawing him out of his thoughts. "I want to know what you feel like. _Please_, Scorpius."

Hearing her plaintive begging nearly drove him under. "Then take my clothes off me," he insisted, kneeling back over her on palms and knees so she could reach him easier.

Her quivering hands began unbuttoning his black, silk shirt. He made no move to help, watching her instead as she concentrated on her task, biting her lower lip as she neared his waist. Finally, she un-tucked the garment from his pants and pulled it open to reveal his naked chest. She stopped, looking at him for a minute before reaching up boldly and caressing his pecks, running her nails over his nipples and down his stomach to his bellybutton. Each touch enflamed him further.

X~~~~~~~X

He was perfect, not an inch of fat on him anywhere she could see. He'd taken extremely good care of his body all his life, she knew, having begun his Quidditch career the same as her father – his first year. She'd heard of his and Hajime's infamous work-out regimes every morning before breakfast, and she knew the pro circuit required a minimum of three hours a day in the gym cardio and strength training. But apparently, in the two years since he'd retired playing the game, he still hadn't stopped caring for himself. Every muscle was rock hard, beautifully shaped. She could feel the power under the fingertips as she danced up and down his frame. She wanted to lick every inch.

"Godric!" she breathed, unable to help herself. "You're _gorgeous!_"

X~~~~~~~X

Scorpius blushed with pride. All of those hours in the gym working out with his father, keeping in top shape even after quitting Quidditch had all just paid off with her one simple compliment. "You're amazing, too," he complimented sincerely, running a hand over her own chest, down her flat abs to just above her thatch. "I'd imagined you, but it's not the same as actually _seeing_ you," he gave her an encouraging smile. "Keep going, beautiful," he spurred, moving his hand off to grip one of hers and move it towards his pants.

She undid his belt, pulling it through the loops and pushed it off to the side. When she came to the button on his pants, she didn't hesitate, loosening it, unzipping him in a rush, her face stained crimson in anticipation. He continued to watch her, his wintery grey eyes roving over her lovely, flushed features, as she started tugging his pants down his hips. She got as far as mid-thigh before he was out of her reach, so she left them there and stroked her fingers over his legs and hips before settling on touching his shaft through his black boxer-briefs. He shuddered when her fingers roamed up and down the length lightly. Emboldened by his reaction, she tugged his pants down to where they met his slacks and he was revealed to her fully.

Lily's eyes widened, taking in his impressive size with a glance. She reached out uncertain, her shyness finally appearing, and ran her fingers lightly over the skin at the tip, then down all the way to his sack and back up. She played with the crisp, dark curls and stroked her thumb over his opening, feeling moisture dew at the tip. Rubbing circles around the head smearing the pre-come on him, feeling the jolting, electric sparks that shot up into his spine as his muscles clenched and twitched in response. He groaned at the intimacy of the touch. "Take a hold of me gently," he instructed, and she complied, her right hand wrapping around his penis. "Now stroke slowly."

His body jumped as her fingernails lightly flicked under his head, and he released more lubrication, which she used to make her stroking easier. "Only you do this to me," he told her, bending down to kiss her lips again. "You, Lily." He moved his hand in between her legs and began running his fingers up and down her slit, giving her pleasure at the same time as he received it. Their shared gasps as they played with each other mirrored their desires. "Yes, sweetheart," he whimpered as her hand tightened slightly around him. "Whatever you want. I'm yours."

It was sheer torture to be touched and not move his hips in time with her hand, but Scorpius let Lily have this moment of power over him, knowing it was important that she felt a partner to him, that she understood that she could do anything to him and he would let her.

X~~~~~~~X

Lily's mind ran in riotous circles of pleasure. Touching and being touched so intimately by the man she loved with every fiber of her being was everything she'd ever wanted, and better than she'd dreamed it would be.

Gads, he was large and thick - definitely built for sex! And that voice and aura of his... they enticed, enchanted, and addicted her to him on every level of consciousness.

She knew that after tonight, she would never be the same. Not just because she'd lose her virginity, but because she knew deep in her soul that she'd never find another man she'd want with this heightened level of desire; Scorpius would ruin her for other men. She'd known that would be the consequence if she'd ever been given this opportunity, and she'd accepted the lifetime of heartache that would follow tonight's experience when she'd asked him to finally kiss her. This amazing wizard had been her secret love since she was a child, before she even understood what love meant, and no one on this whole earth would ever compare.

_If only I could keep you..._

X~~~~~~~X

Scorpius' fingers toyed with Lily's most sensitive flesh, first flicking, then rubbing lightly, the knowledge of the _Gancanagh_ filling him with the sexual expertise that he wouldn't normally have given his inexperience. It was pure instinct that drove his hand on its exploration as he dipped down towards her opening again, circling the entrance and finally inserting a single finger into her slowly. She was so tight, gripping him with velvety, moist muscles as he moved into her, careful not to break her hymen. Then, he pulled back and repeated the action. Under him, she was gasping and panting heavily, and moaning his name.

"I want you to come for me," he beckoned. "Tell me when you're close, okay?"

She nodded, her whole face squinching up as he plunged in and out of her tiny hole with his finger, careful not to go in too far or too hard. "Oh, Merlin, yes," she cried in a husky contralto. "Don't stop. That feels so good!"

She was drenched with the evidence of her own excitement as he worked her up, fighting back his orgasm as her hand ran smoothly over his aching, steel length. Pressing his thumb against her tiny, pink nub, he rubbed in circles as he let his finger pierce her again and again. "That's it, sweetheart," he encouraged, watching the blood suffuse her cheeks as she screwed her eyes tightly, straining for her climax. "Reach for it and come hard for me."

Her breathing increased, and just like that, her hands let his cock go and she reached up to grab onto his shoulders wrapping her legs aggressively around his waist at the same time. She dragged her lower body up off the quilt and pressed her core against his shaft, flesh on flesh, holding there with her athletic strength. "Scorpius, _please_!" she cried out, on the edge. "I need you inside me! I want to feel all of you. _Please!_"

Holding onto her hips and aligning them just right, he paused only a second to kiss her, and then he plunged into her with a single, hard thrust, breaking through her virginity quickly. At her ragged cry, he remembered to take her pain from her in the way of the Fae, and they shared that moment's throbbing sting before he took it all from her and gave her only the heat and warmth of him. He laid her back onto the quilt and gently moved for the first time inside of her, pulling almost all the way out and then sliding back inside of her, stretching her to accommodate his width and length. Lily gasped and whimpered at the sudden initiation into adulthood that her body was receiving, but despite the tears in her eyes, she tugged his head down to hers again, capturing his lips ferociously and pushed her hips back at him.

Oh, this was heaven. She was loving him back - _finally_.

X~~~~~~~X

He was inside her, a part of her now - _finally_.

Her girlfriends had been right: it had _hurt_ at first. As he'd entered her, she'd felt the sharp, tearing pain of her hymen ripped, and immediately an aching soreness as he opened her up, parting her tightness almost violently with his first thrust, but then there was only smooth, wet bliss as he began moving that big body of his in and out. All thoughts of hurt were shoved aside as they joyfully joined with each pulsating plunge, retreating, moving to come together again quickly.

Lily was an eager participant to this seduction, willing herself over to her innate natural compulsions, unashamed and unconcerned of how wanton she may appear. This was Scorpius she was making love to, and she wouldn't just lie there and wait for it to be over. She couldn't do so even if she'd wanted to, even if he hadn't compelled her with his magic. If there was only one shot at making a memory with this man, she would do it with gusto, without restraint, giving every ounce of her love to pleasuring him.

"Yours," she whispered over and over again as his flesh coupled with hers. "Forever and ever, my Scor. Only yours."

X~~~~~~~X

Between their ardent kissing, the feel of her gorgeous body wrapped around his in all ways, and her words enflaming him, Scorpius slipped all control. "Gods," he grated as he pulled his mouth from hers, wrapping his arms around her waist and dragging her off the quilt to sit up on his lap. He slammed her down on him, and she adjusted to the new position easily, riding him with wild abandon, her breasts bouncing up and down against his chest as he gripped her hips and moved her. Through the bond he'd opened between them, he could feel her discomfort every time he hit her cervix, but he took that hurt from her as well, and gave her more pleasure instead by shoving the _Gancanagh's_ power into her with a thought. She exhaled a hoarse cry at the intensity of the velvety sensation sliding across all of her nerves, and between them there was a rush of molten liquid in response. He felt it all with her, and quickly, the pressure built up as she moved over his thick, aching cock. He was so close to losing himself entirely, but bit back at the last minute with great effort, waiting for her.

"Harder," she urged, pumping her hips over him furiously. "Faster!"

He increased the tempo and strength of his thrusts, hitting deep into her body with such force that she was literally wailing. Her body was bathed in sweat, her forehead and upper lip coated with perspiration, her eyes screwed tightly shut as the wave crested immediately. "Scorpius, I love you!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, and she orgasmed for the first time on him, releasing hot, sticky fluid across his entire length and down over his thighs, and squeezing him so tightly inside of her canal that he thought he would die from the pressure.

Remembering at the last second, he pressed a hand to her belly and cast the charm to prevent pregnancy, as his father had taught him years ago, and then he rode her climax out, experiencing every quiver of her muscles as they milked him. Only then did he give in to his own desire. "I love you, my Lily," he cried, pulling her hips as tight as they could be against him and shooting his come deep inside of her in long, hot spurts that slammed out of him uncontrollably. His orgasm seemed to go on and on and _on,_ and stars exploded behind his eyes, and he was transported into sheer bliss, feeling his soul touch hers.

X~~~~~~~X

Lily felt a nirvanic merging of her very spirit and her whole magical essence with Scorpius in the moment that they came together. It was like touching the heavenly stars - scorching, blinding, fulfilling, and destructive.

_I love you, my Lily._

His voice echoed in her mind, resonated with her heart beat, gave her accursed hope that this feeling could go on and on with him continuously. But she knew better, even then. He had a destiny to fulfill that didn't include her. After tonight, she would have to let him go.

Her sorrow seemed as endless as the universe then.

X~~~~~~~X

As he came down from the rushing pounding of his blood, Scorpius was exhausted, and yet, even knowing that his lover was probably equally as tired and sore as he, he continued to ride the lust created by the _Gancanagh_'s release, for the creature within wasn't content with just once. The chemistry between he and his soul mate - for that was what Lily was, he could no longer deny it - was too powerful to simply let it be at a single orgasm.

With a growl, he lay her back down on the quilt and began moving in her again. "More," he rumbled against her ear. "Again." He stared into her eyes with each thrust, saw her own amazement, and then a matching desire, and pushed more of the _Gancanagh_'s power into her. He was rewarded with a renewed appetite from her and a purr of contentment from the beast within. He moved slower this time with long, thick strokes, while hungrily attacking her mouth, his tongue thrusting into her with the same tempo as his hips. He worked them both back up at a leisurely, but steadfast pace. Her fingers wormed under his shirt, pushed it off of him completely, moved it to the side, and only then did he realize that he still had clothes on. He stopped and looked down at her, then reluctantly pulled out of her body completely. She whimpered with his loss, reaching for him.

"I want to be naked against you," he told her, reaching to remove his pants.

That's when he saw her blood staining both of their thighs. He felt a momentary regret that he'd been so rough with her, but not enough remorse to prevent taking her again. With a thought, he banished the mess on them both, then stripped off the last of his clothes and lay back down on top of her, resting his weight on his elbows and knees just as she was moving to get up. He looked into her flashing green eyes and felt a moment of trepidation at the uncertainty he saw reflected in their depths.

"What is it?" he asked, his guts twisting into knots. She looked like she wanted to bolt.

X~~~~~~~X

Lily purposefully looked away, turning her head to the side. "Please don't tell me you love me again. It hurts too much to hear it when I know I can't keep you beyond tonight."

Inside her chest, her heart was beating fast, breaking apart at the seams. But it needed to be said. He needed to understand. She wouldn't stick around for his bedding of anyone else. The thought alone made her unbearably ill.

X~~~~~~~X

Scorpius felt fear clawing its way up between them. "What do you mean?"

She looked like she was in anguish. "I know what you are. I told you." She turned back to him, touching his face with a trembling hand. "I know you're going to have to do this with others, and I know I can't handle that idea. I'd rather let you go then have to share you with some blonde elf goddess someday. That would kill me, Scor. So, this is better. You can have me all you want tonight, but just don't tell me you love me again. It _hurts._"

He placed his hands on her cheeks, and held her gaze, making the decision right then and there that would irrevocably change his life forever - and that would, regrettably, doom the Aes Sidhe at the same time. "I promise you, Lily, that there's never been anyone else before you, and there _won't _be anyone else after tonight. Just you. You're mine. I'm not letting go now." He sneakily adjusted his hips while talking, and slowly slid back into her body as he made this vow. When he was completely sheathed to the hilt inside her once more, he kissed her slowly, sensuously.

She pulled away and a frown wrinkled her brow. "Wait, no one else before? Then, this was your first time, too?" she asked, confused. "But I thought… You seemed very experienced."

He smiled gently down at her and moved a sticky hair off her forehead. "No, there's been no one else. I've waited for you all these years. You're it, sweetheart. My first and my last." He pulled out slowly and moved back into her with a jerk of his hips, trying to recreate that connection between them. "Your soul sparked for me from the start, and I've been in love with you since, Lily," he used similar words from earlier against her now, "and I _want_ you. So shut up and give me this. I want to make sure I don't lose _you_ to someone else."

X~~~~~~~X

Lily's mouth ran dry, her heart leapt into her throat, and tears wavered before her sight.

"Really?"

Her voice trembled, her hands shook as she reached up to cup his cheeks, and she stared him in the eye, looking for any trace of joking. Hoping, hoping...

Scorpius nodded and kissed her head. "I love only you, Lily," he confessed. "Will you let me prove it to you?"

With a joyful cry, she launched her arms about his neck and planted a powerful wet one on his lips. "Yes, oh, yes!" Her tears dripped down her cheeks as her lover began moving in earnest once more, his magical aura caressing hers back up to heights of desire quickly.

As she looked up at him, open and vulnerable, she smiled as she suddenly realized something important. "You're welcome."

Scorpius thrust and smiled at the same time against her lips. "For what?"

She snickered, pushing her hips to match him. "For taking your virginity so good."

His chuckle rumbled through his chest as he pounded her good for her audacity. "Oh, yeah, thanks for that, by the way. Hope it was good for you, too, then?"

Lily's uncontrollable smile made her cheeks ache. She wound her legs and arms tighter about him, gripping him in a fierce, possessive embrace. "Absolutely." She gasped as his body rubbed on the down stroke against her clit. "And my second time's going to be just as good, I can tell."

And it was. _Bloody hell_, was it ever!

X~~~~~~~X

It was the best night of Scorpius' life. He and Lily made love, slowly learning each other through touch, taste, and whispered questions for well over an hour before they both came again in a rush. As they lay spooning in the aftermath, they watched the sun set and fed each other chocolate covered strawberries and drank the rest of the bottle of wine as twilight finally fell. Then, they made love again – _many_ more times, in fact (putting a silencing bubble around them out of precaution by the third time, as they both tended to be rather loud).

As the sun was rising the next morning, Lily was on the verge of coming for him again. He pressed deeply into her from behind as she rested her head on her crossed arms, her hips tilted up to meet his insistent thrusts. Reaching around her body, he began playing with her sensitive, little bead, and she moaned and shuddered. He now recognized those reactions as signs of her final build towards climax, and picked up his pace only slightly, wanting to bring her over once more gently. Lily wasn't having any of that, apparently. Through their bond, she pushed magic at him, and he felt his cock jolted with pleasure. "Witch," he hissed between clenched teeth, trying not to come before her. "Stop that or I won't last."

She giggled and pushed more magic at him, and this time, he grabbed her hips with both hands and slammed into her with all his strength. "Is this what you want?" he challenged, feeling his lust rising relentlessly inside. He slammed into her again. Her cry of ecstasy was loud in the still morning air.

"Yes, do it again," she begged, and he complied happily. "More," she commanded him and he gave her what she wanted. Within a couple of minutes, they were both breathing so hard and gasping for air, their hearts synching through the bond again, that it became inevitable that they would crash as one together. He came in her just as she came on him, and they both cried out each other's names, helpless before the power of their love.

As they collapsed finally sated, both exhausted, Scorpius couldn't help but grin. He and his lover were both sweaty and overheated and he'd done as he promised – he'd made Lily come so many times that she was sore, and she was now filled up with his seed. As she cuddled against his chest, resting her head against his heart, she smiled. "So, seriously, was your first time everything you dreamed it would be then?"

He chuckled. "More than I could have ever hoped for." He looked down at her and pressed a kiss to her hair. "You?"

She nodded against him, her hot cheek pressing against his chilled skin. "It was _wonderful_, Scor. Thank you." She kissed his nipple. "I didn't think it was possible to love someone so much. I could hang here forever with you, just like this."

He contemplated her words, then disentangled them to sit up and reached over for his robes. Withdrawing the small gift box from the inner pocket, he held it out for her. She looked at him in curious excitement, but he held onto the box as she reached for it. "I've had this for years, waiting for you to get old enough so I could give it to you. I hope you will consider keeping it once you see it."

She raised an eyebrow at that, then opened the box. Inside, on a bed of white cotton, lay a red ribbon, and it glowed with mystical fire as she touched it. Her eyes widened. "I know what this is," she breathed in shock, and looked at him. "Your mother wears one in her hair all the time."

He nodded, swallowed nervously. "If you… want to keep it, Lily, it comes with only one catch: me."

Holding the ribbon out between her hands, she looked over it at him. "Meaning?"

This was the moment of truth. "In the Beltane tradition, I'd bind myself to you if you accepted it. And not just for a day and a year either. I'd mean it to be for the rest of our lives."

She looked at him carefully. "You're asking me to marry you?"

He nodded again, silently watching her. She stared at him for a good minute, then back at the ribbon.

X~~~~~~~X

Lily's heart was crashing against her ribs, her mind flooding with the same thought over and over again, said in a variety of ways: _he wants to marry me!_

For the first time, she wondered if it were possible to die of happiness.

X~~~~~~~X

When she turned her back on him quite suddenly, Scorpius felt his hope crushed, believing for a nanosecond that she'd rejected his offer. A moment later, her hand whipped the ribbon back at him and she tucked her long hair up, gathering it to tie it back with the ribbon. "Help me tie the bow?" she asked, looking coyly at him over one smooth, creamy shoulder.

With a relieved sigh and a shaky smile, he secured the ribbon in her hair. As they both touched it together, it let off a calming fire through their bodies. Inside, the raging power of the _Gancanagh_ finally settled, soothed by the feeling. That wasn't to say the lustful side of his Fae heritage was, by any means, shunted or squashed; quite the opposite, in fact. But now it was transformed into a thing of mutual need, instead of selfish covetedness, learning to share instead of simply taking. It had learned what the art of love making was all about over the course of the night, and now it stretched lazily within and lay down its head, like a giant cat settling in for a nap, forever watchful, but content to immerse itself in that love, to enjoy its power, and to enjoy the thought that it could, when it wanted to do so, give it back to this lovely woman it had bonded with. It was happily tamed.

In that exact moment, Scorpius finally understood the mystery of his father's alternate personality back in his school days; he'd read his parents' diary with their permission long ago, wanting to know the story of his conception. The "Malfoy" inside Draco had, at the end, relinquished his selfish desire to dominate and cause harm only when he had realized that a reintegration with his original self was necessary to protect the one he loved - Hermione. In doing so, "Malfoy" had learned what faith and love were all about and he had changed Draco's doomed fate into a chance for life and future happiness. Yet, despite that, Scorpius knew that somewhere inside his father, that side of him still existed as he'd seen his father's temper on occasion throughout his life (specifically when directed at Death Eaters during the course of his Auror duties). That wildly aggressive, dominant, and occasionally violent side was as much a part of him as the generous, caring, gentle one. But he also knew that the "Malfoy" component of his father's personality loved Scorpius' mother fiercely, and would do anything to protect her and give her happiness.

So it was with the _Gancanagh _now within Scorpius.

By giving himself to Lily so honestly and true, and by accepting the gift of her love back in the same spirit, Scorpius and his Aes Sidhe legacy – the side of himself he'd always struggled to reign in and had been bitterly hateful of for so long - were finally one. He had met his own preordained, lonely destiny and conquered it with love and light. Now there was the chance for life and happiness ahead for him, too.

"So, that's a 'yes,' then?" he asked, just to be sure, petting her shoulder tenderly, loving the way the fire from the ribbon lit up the red highlights in her hair.

Lily looked over her shoulder at him and smiled mysteriously. "Yes... but on one condition."

Scorpius' brow lifted in interest. "And what would that be?" One never knew what this woman was going to throw out next. She was so unpredictable!

She turned about, leaning on her palms and pressed her nose against his, staring him straight in the eye. "You never touch any of those Fae bitches. You're _mine_. I won't share."

He stared at her with all sincerity, speaking from his soul. "Only you. From now until the day I die, Lily. I swear it."

She paused, never removing her gaze from his. "Good. Then I accept. With the same promise to you. You're the only man who will touch me like this, Scor. I'm yours."

"Good," he reaffirmed and tugging Lily back down to the quilt with him, Scorpius wrapped all of his limbs about her and they spooned in silence, watching the sun come up over the lake together. The placid, serene surface became a myriad of pastel colors over the next hour, and the first morning birds began singing their welcome of the new day, hauntingly beautiful in their simply joy.

Unable to help himself, his body grew hard for her once more as it pressed against her backside, and with a sneaky adjustment, he slipped back into her from behind, between her legs. Lily sighed in gratification, her hips tilting back further to allow him deeper entry, but Scorpius didn't move, just kept them like that, their two bodies joined as one once more. It was a perfect feeling.

_Love each other as you were meant to_, a female voice suddenly commanded him in the vaults of his mind, and he smiled, knowing precisely who it was he was hearing. _And you will move the universe with such magnificence._

_I will, Illustrious Lady_, he pledged to the Kirin – the mystical harbinger of great change and transformation. _I will love only her forever. I promise. _

And he knew would. Every day until his end, he knew he would cherish this woman in his arms, come hell or highwater. He would protect her, make her smile, respect her needs, and when she was ready, give her children. He would hold her at the end of their lives together, and if there was such a thing as reincarnation, he would search for her soul again the next time around.

Pursuing and loving her was going to be a wonderful way to pass through eternity.

X~~~~~~~X

Tsillah stepped back through the opening rift in the Void, having seen everything she needed to. Making her way across the bright tunnel, she stepped back into the glacial walls of the Aes Sidhe Winter Palace. On bare feet, oblivious to the cold thanks to her innate magic, she made her way down long halls, past solid lengths of white, punctuated only occasionally with blue or purple veins of solidified water.

As she entered the Throne Room, and approached the dais, whereupon sat a high backed settee made also of ice, she bowed low. "It is as you feared, my Queen," she informed her sister. "Our King is lost to us. He has made the soul bond with a human. The young woman accepted his proposal and their mating willingly. There is no possibility of breaking it without magical repercussion."

High Queen Temair, the most beautiful - and deadly - of all Fae, the Mother of Air and Darkness, narrowed her pale grey eyes in icy fury. "And the Kirin? She interfered again, didn't she?"

Tsillah sighed. She actually liked the Pillar of Heaven, and was loathe to implicate the creature, despite the truth. But Tsillah was bound to never tell a falsehood. It was her responsibility never to disrespect the crown upon her brow. "Yes, my Queen. The Rin made a gift of her mane, which Tanith wove for her into another binding ribbon."

Temair's displeasure radiated out in waves of bitter, wintry winds which Tsillah's magic countered naturally to prevent her freezing. "We are bound by oath not to exact justice from our cousin, Tanith, but the Kirin... she will pay for once more sticking her snout where it doesn't belong." Temair stood. "Summon her son to us as soon as you recover. He will fulfill his oaths from long ago beginning now. We have been overly patient and indulgent of him for too many years, not wanting to disturb the delicate relationship he fostered with his human child consort out of respect. Now, it is time he and his mother understood the price of their obligations - and their meddling."

Inside her chest, Tsillah felt both dread and anticipation. With the male Kirin's summoning, she would finally know what it was like to have a man come into her and what it would feel like to conceive a child, to carry one under her breast, as Tanith had done. Secretly, she wanted that more than anything... and yet, her conscience regretted what this would mean ultimately for the man-beast. And she knew their coupling - her first - would be bad, probably rushed as a result; certainly nothing like what she'd witnessed between her former King and his mate tonight, of that she was certain. Their uniting of flesh and hearts had been so beautiful it had literally made Tsillah weep in both envy and awe, and made her long to fall in love, much as her cousin, Tanith, had done.

_If only..._

"As you command," she replied finally to Temair's orders, turning and heading back to the Summoning Room, where the rift would be opened once more. She knew where to find the creature who called himself 'Hajime.' The Being resided with the Malfoy family in their abode near the Giant Standing Stones that the crafty wizard, Merlin, had erected more than a millennia ago to tap into the largest ley line's flow (which was how the Ki had managed to open a Void rift to the Fae homeland so easily all those years before when he'd come to negotiate for Tanith's release). She would go there... but not now. She was simply exhausted after this last effort, and needed to rest.

With great trepidation, Tsillah detoured away from the Summoning Room and headed back to her room to lie down instead. It would take a week, at least, to recover the strength she'd need to re-enter the world she and her kind had left behind. In the meantime, she would enter a state of torpor. She only hoped that her dreams weren't plagued by memories of the love making she'd seen tonight, nor of fanciful imaginings of how her own first sexual encounter with the Ki would go. Wishing for the impossible was a dangerous preoccupation, and if there was one thing she knew, it was that even when he took her, the Kirin's son would not love her, because his heart was already pledged to another.

_If only..._

X~~~~~~~X

**_FIN - CHAPTER TWO~_**

X~~~~~~~X

**AUTHOR'S NOTES****:**

**THIS SERIES WILL CONCLUDE IN THE FINAL CHAPTER, ETOILE & HAJIME'S STORY, TO COME NEXT… **

**Musical recommendations for this chapter: **

"**I Can't Hold Back" by Survivor (Scorpius to Lily)**

"**Rush Rush" by Paula Abdul (Lily to Scorpius) **


End file.
